THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. loi 



body frequently take on a nile-blue effect or pale blue tint, this 

 shade spreading well over the abdomen. The back becomes more 

 purplish-brown with alternate streaks of pale and darker follow- 

 ing, latter greater in width, to courses of scales. Top of head 

 darker than back, its upper surface more olivaceous and this color 

 fading out into brassy on side of snout. Rim inside of mandible, 

 also edges of rami inside, especially posteriorly, and upper sur- 

 face of tongue dusky. Except former is blackish this region is 

 translucent brownish. Dorsal pale translucent brownish, margin 

 broadly dusky, especially of upper anterior rays, ■ Anteriorly and 

 a little below middle of fin a pale or indistinct longitudinal streak 

 of same color to last ray, most distinct on membranes. Caudal 

 dusky, this color most distinct on posterior margin, its lower 

 margin whitish, especially basally. Basal scaly region of caudal 

 pale and more or less translucent. Pectoral, ventral and anal 

 translucent whitish, bases of former two fins pale pinkish. 

 Upper rays of pectoral inside sprinkled with dusky dots. Inside 

 of gill-openings whitish. Lower surface of body, together with 

 that of caudal peduncle, clear shining whitish. Female. 



This well-known fish is perhaps the most important of Dela- 

 ware River food-fishes. Its habits, life history, etc., have been 

 treated so frequently by persons more interested in its commer- 

 cial value that I have little save a repetition of what has already 

 been said. Though mostly associated with the alewife and 

 ascending the large tide-water streams in the spring for the 

 purpose of spawning, they are more of an object to the many 

 large fisheries. As a food-fish they rank high and are of excel- 

 lent flavor, though not oily but with many small bones. I have 

 never found them land-locked in ditches and pools like the ale- 

 wife. About Cape May they vary somewhat in abundance, some- 

 times only a few are taken in the bay-pounds. Fishermen report 

 them occasionally in the tide- water of the Great Egg Harbor 

 River. They have been taken in both the lower Rancocas and 

 Crosswicks tide-waters. 



Clupea sapidissima Wilson, Cyclop. Art. S. L. Rees, Am. Ed., 

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

 1892, p. 358.— Smith, Bull. U. S. F. Com., XII, 1892, p. 369. 



