SALMON! D.?:. 129 



Dr. Bethune in his beautiful edition of ^Valton's Angler, at page 

 138, in a note ; and as described to me by Mr. Webber, the author- 

 of a series of very agre Liable letters concerning the fishing of that 

 region, which were published in the columns of the New York 

 Courier and Inquirer during the past summer. 



It is very unfortunate that, so far, none of the gentlemen who have 

 been so lucky as to take this highly- colored and fine fish, have pos- 

 sessed sufficient scientific knowledge to examine and record its cha- 

 racteristics in such a manner as to allow us to decide upon its identity 

 with any known species. 



The only thing which appears to be certain, is this : that it does 

 not belong to any one of the three known species of the non-migra- 

 tory Lake Trout. As it is said to have been taken by the President 

 of the Piseco Club, a gentleman on whose authority perfect reliance 

 may be placed, up to the great weight of twenty-four pounds, this 

 must, in my opinion, be either an entirely nondescript fish, or merely 

 a Brook Trout of gigantic dimensions. 



It is generally described as being square-tailed, with two rows of 

 red spots, the ventrals and pectorals deeply tinged with vermillion, 

 and the flesh of a bright glowing carnation, and a delicious flavor. 

 Now, this description coincides with no described fish of North 

 America, though nearly agreeing with that of the great common 

 English Trout of the Thames, and of the Irish lakes and rivers. 



But to return to the Masamacush, as it is known to exist in the 

 northern waters. 



Its body, as will be observed in the cut, is more slender than that 

 of any of the SalmonidcB heretofore described, and the head is about 

 a sixth of the total length. The lower jaw, when the mouth is closed, 

 projects beyond the upper one by the depth of the chin, and it 

 appeal's longer yet when the mouth is open. 



The teeth of the labials, intermaxillaries and lower jaw, are very 

 small, short, conical, acute, and slightly curved — on the palatine 

 bones there is a row of larger teeth mixed with smaller ones, and on 

 the knob of the vomer, a cluster of six or seven. The tongue is 

 armed with a single row on each side, which meet in a curve at tlie tip ; 

 there are also two or three scattered teeth on the centre of the 

 tongue. The rakers and pharyngeal bones are armed with short teeth 



