The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-02-10
Strange Fish in Western New York

sOeA esAA - pa AA w SolCA II NOW DIX.
The Rochester Union publishes the
following:
The appearance of new and strange
fish In Lakes Ontario, Seneca and other
inland bodies of water, has more than
once been referred to in these columns. 1t
resembles the shad Of the Atlantic coast
and rivers more clos, ly than Sny other
fish that we see. The difference is, how
ever, considerable, as will be shown.
LheSe bsh appeared in Western New
ork TWO or three years since, and they
were then small-so small that they
could scarcely be taken in the nets and
seines In use.
A year or two in the cold fresh water of
the lakes improved their condition vastly.
They grew finely, and last year they
could not escape the meshes as before,
and were taken into the markets more
| plentifully with other fish, with which
the fishermen had better acquaintance.
These strangers were little bony, not
more so than the shad, and are scarcely
inferior, except in price.
Seneca Lake abounds in these fish.
They are seen there in schools that might
be measured by acres. To estimate
their numbers would be a useless task
with hope to make an approximation to
what they really are. The largest of
these fish weigh scarcely two pounds,
and these have just attained their growth.
There is every Indication that this fish
Will hereafter be abundant In the lakes.
The inquiry naturally arose as to the
name and origin of this strange fish.
Citizens CT Geneva sent a sample of the
fishes to Professor Agassiz, supposed to
be better posted as to piscatorial matters
than any other man. He pronounced
the fish nalewife, but did not, we be-
leve, attempt to account for its recent
appearance in the lakes. Various theo-
rles We're advanced by those who knew
nethlng OF the matter. The prevailing
notion among the more intelligent who
thought on the matter was thai the fish
had come into the lakes from the Attain
tic by way of the St. Lawrence This
belief is now tolerably well established,
as the same fish has been found in At
lantic waters, evidently an old resident
there
Seth Green, who is up in such mat
ters, had given some attention to this
strange fish, and did not, we believe, ex-
actly conclude with Agassiz as to its
character. The other day, while on
visit to Chesapeake Bay, he discovered
this strange fish, or Others Of the same
family, in great abundance. They were
sold in the Baltimore market under the
name Of Brim shad and Mud-shad In
Norfolk they are known as Gizzard- -shad,
SO styled because Of their having stom-
ach peculiar to fowls, and which is com
mon to fish, and if it is ever found in
other than this variety. Mr.. Green, by
carefal examination, became satisfied
that the Brim -shad or the Gizzard shad
of the Chesapeake are one and the sane
with the strange fish in our lake. Until
a better Is found, our people may adopt
one OF the three names given them in
Baltimore or Norfolk for these fish,
which have been hitherto nameless.
ct is not likely that fish of this fami
ly may be found in the Atlantic bays
far north of the esapeake, from one Of
which they may have gone up the St.
Lawrence. They proba baly made their
way from Lake Ontarior into Seneca
Lake by way Of the canals and rivers
which form channel from one to anoth-
er.