0-38 ZOOLOGY FISHES. 



the extinct family of the Saurodontldcc of the Cretaceous period ; the nearest 

 approach among recent fishes being the internal spine in the ventral fin of 

 Ampliacantlms. The dentition and intestines of these fishes show them to be 

 of carnivorous habits. Interest attaches to the Plagopterincc as the only type 

 of fishes not known from other waters than those of the Colorado and San 

 Luis basins. 



Another result is the discovery in the West of CcmticWiys ligutta- 

 tus, Kirtland ; Dr. H. C. Yariwv obtaining a number of specimens of this 

 abundant eastern fish at Harmony, in Southern Utah. This is an unex- 

 pected discovery, giving the species the greatest known range of any of our 

 CyprinidcR, the Semotilus corporalis accompanying it to the eastern slope of 

 the Rocky Mountains. The Smoky Hill River was previously the most 

 western locality for the C. liguitatus. 



Coregonus villiamsonii, Girard, was found singularly abundant in the 

 Provo River, a stream running into Utah Lake ; it being known to the set- 

 tlers under the name of " Mountain Herring". During the fall of the year, 

 it bites readily at a hook bated with "Leatherside Minnows," (Gila tcenia, 

 Cope,) and thousands are annually captured and sent to the Salt Lake City 

 market, being there justly esteemed as a most valuable food fish. 



This species was established by Girard upon specimens taken in Des 

 Chutes River, Oregon. In 1871, Mr. Campbell Carrington, of the United 

 States geological survey of the Territories, found it, but the locality is not 

 noted ; and in 1872 it was found in the Provo River, as already noted. This 

 is the first and only time it has been observed in the valley of the Great Salt 

 Lake. Salmo virginalis, Girard, the characteristic and most valuable food 

 fish of Utah, was found exceedingly abundant in the fresh-water lakes, 

 notably Utah and Pauquitch Lakes, and furnishes a large proportion of 

 the subsistence of the Mormon settlers. 



Another interesting discovery was that of a new species of Cottoid, 

 named Uraii/di/i r/icekri, Cope, which is the only Physoclystous or spinous- 

 rayed fish as yet found in the Great Basin of Utah. 



It will be seen by an examination of this report that the material 

 secured has enabled us to establish three new genera and nineteen new species 

 ot fishes, besides several varieties from the Western Territories, and no rea- 



