THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 97 



whitish. Dorsal inserted nearer tip of snout than base of caudal. 

 Anal low, well behind dorsal. Caudal forked, and lower lobe a 

 little longer. Pectoral about J^ of space to ventral. Ventral 

 behind dorsal, and reaching a little over ^ of space to anal. 

 Color bluish-silvery, becoming white below. Indistinct darker 

 stripes along rows of scales. A blackish blotch behind opercle. 

 Fins pale, dorsal and caudal tinted with dusky. A breeding 

 male 12 inches long. Great Egg Harbor River at May's Land- 

 ing. A little larger females with same data show depth 3, oper- 

 cular emargination deeper, and longer pectoral. 



Abundant and ascending the fresh-water streams in the spring. 

 Rarely if ever taken on the hook about Cape May. I found 

 small examples at Cape May early in May. Other species may 

 occur there, but as yet I have not noted them. In the tide-water 

 of the Great Egg Harbor they are abundant, during the spring 

 run, to May's Landing. They do not begin to run much before 

 April. They are retailed for about 15 cents a dozen, and when 

 fresh are good eating, and of fine flavor. The males are smaller 

 and less deeper than the females, though equally numerous. The 

 rounded or deep belly of the female seems to have suggested the 

 name alewife for this species. 



They were formerly exceedingly abundant in the Delaware 

 during the spring run. Wagon-loads have been hauled ashore, 

 and on account of not having been disposed of otherwise, have 

 been used as fertilizers. As a fertilizer, after a year's decomposi- 

 tion they prove excellent, especially for the vine, etc. The usual 

 process in this conversion was burial, though if they were dug 

 out of the ground too soon sometimes certain larvae or worms 

 would appear, which were very disastrous to the trucker or 

 lettuce-grower. These fish are not now taken in such numbers, 

 and as the demand for them does not appear to be so great, a 

 number of the old seines do not run any more. They have been 

 taken as early as February by dip-net fishermen, and frequently 

 occur in the river during March. 



Clupea pseudoharengus Wilson, Cyclop. Art. S. L. Rees, Am. 

 Ed., IX, 1802-19, no pagination. — Moore, Bull. U. S. F. Com., 

 Xn, 1892, p. 359.— Smith. Bull. U. S. F. Com., XII, 1892, p. 

 368. 



7 MU 



