GENUS POMOLOBUS RAFINESQUE The Alewives Tailor Herring; Hickory Shad Pomolobus mediocris (Mitchill) This species of herring, which is also known as fall herring and mattowacca, is fairly common from Cape Cod to Florida. The name Mattowacca is said to be derived from the Indian name for Long Island, which was Mattowaka or Mattowax. In the Potomac River it is called "tailor shad" or "fresh-water tailor," in contradistinction to the bluefish which is called "salt-water tailor." The centre of abundance of the tailor seems to be in the vicinity of Chesapeake Bay where it usually makes its appearance in the rivers in the spring before the shad. Northward it does not usually enter streams, but southward it does so regularly. It reaches a maximum length of 24 inches, though examples of more than 3 pounds' weight are not often seen. This species is caught in great quantities in pound-nets and is hawked about the streets of Washington and other cities in the spring, and is often sold as shad to the unsuspecting. Very soon the market for them ceases and they are then used as fertilizer. It is also often sold with the alewife and glut herring, 1 tailor counting as 2 herring. Head 4; depth 3 3/8; D. 15; A. 21; scales 50; scutes 20+16. Head rather long; lower jaw considerably projecting, the upper emarginate; dorsal fin inserted nearer snout than base of caudal. Colour, bluish silvery; sides with rather faint longitudinal stripes; peritoneum pale.