96 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxxi. 



B. lonariensis is distinguished from B. ^nicrolepidotus by the rather 

 longer and sharper snout and larger scales. 



According to Mr. Titcomb the pejerre3\s are regarded in Argentina 

 as the most valuable fresh-water fish of the country. They inhabit 

 both fresh and salt water. During the winter months one species at 

 least {B. honariemis), is said to ascend the Rio de la Plata above 

 Buenos Aires where it is caught by anglers with two or three hooks 

 attached to one line very nmch as smelt are caught through" the ice in 

 the tidal rivers of New England. However, they do not have any ice 

 in the Rio do la Rlata. Mr. Titcomb found. this pejerrey in Lake 

 Chascomus, about two hours' railroad journey from Buenos Aires, 

 where commercial fisheries have their existence. The Chascomus is 

 almost a sea-level lake, having an outlet to the sea during periods of 

 high water. The lake is shallow and is reported to have run dry on 

 one occasion so that the fish were all exterminated. Apparently the 

 pejerrey enter this lake from salt water for the purpose of spawning. 

 The first examples seen in this lake were observed by Mr. Titcomb 

 October 20, and he thinks the spawning season of the pejerre}^ in the 

 latitude and elevation of Chascomus would be about the latter part of 

 October and the early part of November. The water temperature in 

 Chascomus Lake must become very high in midsummer, and the water 

 is rather sluggish and roily. He next encountered the pejerrey {B. 

 iniGrolepidotiis) in the Rio Negro in latitude 39 ', south but found no 

 spawning fish among them. They were seen at several points on the 

 Rio Limay and its tributaries in the early part of November, and they 

 were found spawning in tributaries of Lake Nuhuel Huapi in the latter 

 part of November. The species seems to be fairly abundant in the 

 Rio Limay and in tributaries of the lake. They evidently go to the 

 lakes and enter the tributary streams for spawning purposes. At 

 Lake Traful the pejerrey was found spawning December 13. It evi- 

 dently spawns on a rising temperature. The wind blows for days at 

 a time on these lakes in the Andes ]Mountains, sometimes for two 

 weeks without ceasing. Apparently the fish in Lake Traful had been 

 waiting for the wind to go down, and when it did go down the after- 

 noon in question they entered the small ba3's for spawning purposes, 

 where about 500 pounds were taken at one haul with a 100-foot Baird 

 seine. Mr. Titcomb was informed by responsible persons that the 

 pejerrey is found in waters of Argentina as far south as the Strait of 

 Magellan. Both the trucha and pejerrey are said to be abundant in 

 the latitude of Chile corresponding to those in which it is found in 

 Argentina. 



Some of the fish enter rivers tributary to the lakes to spawn, and 

 others select the shallow sandy bottoms of the lakes near the shore, 

 but not necessarily in sheltered places. 



