FISHES OF LAKE SUPERIOR. 333 



the past century, under the name of S. namaycush, which must be 

 preserved in spite of the more euphonious name which Dr. Mitchill 

 gave to it twenty-five years later, even if the character to which this 

 latter makes allusion were constant during the whole life of the 

 fish. 



Our specimens have been collected all along the northern shores. 



SALMO SISCOWET, Agass. 

 PI. I., fig. 3. 



Along with the two species of salmons above mentioned, Lake 

 Superior furnishes a third, which has not yet been described. 

 The inhabitants of the region designate it under the name of Sis- 

 cowet, a name which I have thought should be preserved in scientific 

 nomenclature. Its general form is stout, broad and thick, more so 

 than any species of salmon except the S. Trutta of Central Europe. 

 The height of the body vertically, at the anterior ray of the dorsal, 

 is equal to one-fifth of the whole length. It descends very insensibly 

 towards the head, somewhat more abruptly towards the posterior 

 region ; but as far as the anterior margin of the anal it maintains itself 

 in proportions which give to the whole of the body a cylindrical 

 appearance. A considerable inflexion runs along the insertion of the 

 anal, and beneath the tail, whose height exceeds one-third the 

 greatest height of the body. The pedicle of the tail is dilated and 

 subquadrangular. 



The head forms one-fourth of the whole length, exclusive of the 

 lobes of the caudal. The frontal line, at first a little inclined, 

 appears broken by a slight depression at the top of the posterior 

 margin of the orbit ; thence it descends somewhat rapidly on the 

 snout, which is obtuse and rounded, and forms the principal character 

 of this species. 



The lower and upper maxillaries, the intermaxillaries and each 

 of the palatines have a row of conical and acute teeth. The largest 

 are on the lower maxillaries and on the intermaxillaries ; they are 

 very slightly curved inwards at their summit. The teeth of the 

 palatines must be enumerated next in the order of their relative 



