456 MITCHILL ON THE FISHES OF NEW-YORK. 



in rejecting the preposterous scheme. In the course of my speech, I 

 observed, " that I considered myself the advocate of the fish ; I begged 

 the house to view me as the counsel for their silent tribes ; like Saint 

 Antonio, I felt a deep concern for their welfare ; and I entreated the 

 members to oppose, by a unanimous vote, the adoption of the meditated 

 measure, as big with ruin to the innocent inhabitants of the floods." 

 The project was negatived by a very large majority. 



The life of the herring has never been thought important enough to 

 be put under the protection of the law in New-York. Even in the last 

 edition of bur statutes, under the revision of Van Ness and Wood- 

 worth, no notice is taken of these fish. This may perhaps indicate the 

 diminution of their numbers, and the smallness of the fishery. It is 

 scarcely a public object. In the act of April 5th, 1813, " relative to 

 the fishery in certain waters," salmon, trout, shad, oysters, suckers, pike, 

 and pickerel, are mentioned ; but the name of herring does not occur. 

 And the " act declaring certain waters to be public high-ways," &c. 

 passed April 2, 1813, is equally silent of these fish. In the regulation 

 of set-nets in the Hudson river, between Troy and New-York, and of 

 the buoys and stakes connected with them, the intention of the legisla- 

 ture sterns rather to have been, the prevention and removal of obstruc- 

 tions, than the preservation of any species of fish. 



10. Summer Herring of Nerv-York. (Clupea aestivalis.) Has a row 

 of spots to the number of seven or eight, extending in the direction of 

 the lateral line. 



Tail forked. Belly serrate ; and, in most respects, resembling the (X 

 halec, herein already described. 



Rays, ^r. 6. P. 15. V. 9. D. 16. A. 19. C. 19. 



11. Satin-striped Herring. (Clupea vittata.) With large projecting 

 upper jaw, small lower jaw, silver-striped sides, and forked tail. 



