Shad (shăd), n. sing. & pl. [AS.
sceadda a kind of fish, akin to Prov. G. schade; cf. Ir.
& Gael. sgadan a herring, W. ysgadan herrings; all
perhaps akin to E. skate a fish.] (Zoöl.) Any
one of several species of food fishes of the Herring family. The
American species (Clupea sapidissima), which is abundant on the
Atlantic coast and ascends the larger rivers in spring to spawn, is an
important market fish. The European allice shad, or alose (C.
alosa), and the twaite shad. (C. finta), are less important
species. [Written also chad.]
☞ The name is loosely applied, also, to several other fishes,
as the gizzard shad (see under Gizzard), called also mud
shad, white-eyed shad, and winter shad.
Hardboaded, or Yellow-tailed,
shad, the menhaden. --
Hickory, or Tailor,
shad, the mattowacca. -- Long-boned
shad, one of several species of important food fishes of
the Bermudas and the West Indies, of the genus Gerres. --
Shad bush (Bot.), a name given to the
North American shrubs or small trees of the rosaceous genus
Amelanchier (A. Canadensis, and A. alnifolia)
Their white racemose blossoms open in April or May, when the shad
appear, and the edible berries (pomes) ripen in June or July, whence
they are called Juneberries. The plant is also called
service tree, and Juneberry. -- Shad
frog, an American spotted frog (Rana halecina); -
- so called because it usually appears at the time when the shad begin
to run in the rivers. -- Trout shad, the
squeteague. -- White shad, the common
shad.