Gulf of St. Lawrence, 209 



the salmon trout. The head is large, and the body tapers regu- 

 larly to the tail. The flesh is of a yellow colour, and for the table 

 is equal to the salmon. In the Metis Lakes there are, besides 

 "Toag 1 ' and a large red variety of S.fontinalis, called 4w Rag," at 

 least two other species of the genus Salmo. 



Coregonus. — A species of herring trout, probably C. clupeifor- 

 mis, abounds in the deep clear water of the Metis Lakes. Our 

 Indians informed me that in the fall immense shoals of them 

 approach the shores of the lakes, and that hundreds of barrel? 

 mi^ht be taken with a seine. 



Cyprinus. — A species of chub, with very large scales, was 

 abundant in Lake Metapedia and elsewhere. 



Catastomus. — Black suckers were abundant in the Restifjoucbe 

 River and the larger lakes, but as I did not preserve specimens I 

 could not be certain of the species. 



Anguilla. — Eels, probably A. acutirostris, are abundant about 

 the mouths of all the rivers, and toward the upper limits of the 

 salt water are barrelled in considerable quantities for the market. 

 A thick short black eel is extremely abundant in the Metis Lakel- 

 and River. The remains of a contrivance for catching these fish, 

 which was long ago built by the Indians almost across a narrow 

 part of the lower Lake, are still in existence. 



Platessa. — Flounders, or as the French Canadian fishermen 

 called them Plaise, were taken in great abundance with cod lines 

 at Ste. Anne and other places, and used for manuring land. Small 

 flatfish are also taken among shoals of capelin. 



INVERTEBRATA. 

 CRUSTACEA. 



Hyas Jissirostra ? — A spider crab agreeing with Say's descrip- 

 tion of Lissa Jissirostra and DeKay's Hyas coarctata, (but not 

 however with Bell's description under the same name,) in fishing 

 grounds of moderate depth, and especially at Ste. Anne, and were 

 devoured in great numbers by almost all kinds of fish. In the 

 stomachs of halibut some very large specimens were procured, but 

 the largest of all were caught by fishermen with cod hooks. The 

 carapace of one of these measures 4 inches from the anterior to 

 the posterior extremity. This is quite a different crab from the 

 large Maia, parts of which Principal Dawson obtained in Gaspe Bay. 



Cancer irroratus. — This is probably the most abundant crab in 

 the Gulf. The breadth of the carapace of the largest specimen 

 in the collection is 4^ inches. 

 Canadian Nat. 4 Vol. IV. No. 3. 



