Deep- Water Fauna of Lake Micliujan. 99 



Crustacea^ Dr. William Stimpson, Secretary of tlie Chicago 

 Academy of Science. I record here this fact in justice to 

 Prof. Stimpson and the West, 



Two of the fish belong to the genus Argyi-osomus, a genus 

 l^roposed by Agassiz to include that section of white-fish hav- 

 ing a projecting under jaw. 



The Argyrosomus Hoyi^ Gill, is the smallest of the white-fish so 

 far found in any of the great lakes, it being only about eight inches 

 in length, and weighing one-fourth of a pound. The Mooneye, as 

 called by the fishermen, is an excellent jDan-fish, but its small 

 size renders its unsuitable for market. Trout devour large 

 numbers of these little beauties, as they constitute a large 

 share of their food. The Mooneye is only found in water over 

 forty fathoms. 



The black-fin, Argyrosomus Nigripinnis, Gill, is a large and 

 beautiful fish, having black fins. It has never been caught in 

 less than sixty, and does not occur abundantly in less than 

 seventy fathoms. During the summer of 1871 there was not 

 a single black-fin taken off Racine, as the fishermen did not 

 go as far into the lake as they did the previous season. 



The third species of fish was taken from the stomach of a 

 trout, caught in the deepest water. It belongs to the Coitus 

 family, and is closely allied to Triglopsis Thompsonii, Girard, 

 if not identical. Triglopsis Thompsonii was taken from the 

 stomach of a Lota Maculosa (by Prof. Baird) caught in Lake 

 Ontario in 1850, since which time not a specimen has been 

 taken, I am informed by the Professor, unless this be the same 

 fish taken now from the trout, as before mentioned. Prof. Gill 

 thinks it is probably an undescribed species, near T. Thomp- 

 sonii. If this prove so on further investigation, it will be 

 named Triglopsis Stimpsonii. What is peculiarly interesting 

 about this small fish is, that it is a salt water rather than a 

 fresh water form. Judging from the quantity of fragments 

 belonging to this species, obtained from the stomachs of trout 

 caught in the deep water, it must by no means be rare. 



