264 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



never exceeded three to six iucbes in length. Strange to say, how- 

 ever, that during the past four years these little fish have become so 

 numerous throughout the length of Lake Ontario that millions can be 

 taken in one haul of a seine almost anywhere along the shore of Lake 

 Ontario during the mouth of June. The whole shore for a long distance 

 out, during this time, becomes so dense with these little fish that people 

 dip them out with their hats, — rather a novel method, but it is a fact, 

 and given for illustration of their immense numbers : vast quantities of 

 them die along the shore. In a few days, sometimes a fortnight, they 

 all disappear, and we see nothing of them again till the following year, 

 excepting an odd one that may be taken at times. They invariably run 

 from two to six inches, seldom larger. They are not prized for food, 

 being seldom oaten, and are not marketable. They have been called 

 here the " Moon Eye", as they resemble the fish spoken of by me as 

 having been taken in the deep waters, which have always been known 

 by that name. Again, in 1873, 1874, 1875, 187C, and this year, these 

 little fish have been alike abounding in myriads all along the north shore 

 of Ontario. Since that time, the trout and other predaceous fishes have 

 become very scarce in the lake, and these " Moon Ej'es " have conse- 

 quently wonderfully increased in numbers, to such an extent as to spread 

 themselves in the immense number spoken of all along the shore of the 

 lake. 



The specimen sent may not be one of these " Moon Eyes", but the 

 resemblance is very great.* 



Professor Baird, 



Com inissioner of Fisheries, &c., Washington,!). C. 



Newcastle, November 23, 1877. 



THE OCCrRREIVCE OF THE CANADA PORCrPIIVE IIV WEST 



VIRGIIVIA. 



By O. BKOl^Ri €;OOD£. 



The National Museum has obtained from Mr. H. 1). Eenuinger, of 

 Washington, a living specimen of the Canada porcupine {Erethison dor- 

 satus (Linn.) F. Cuv. — var clorsatus), captured by him November 13, 1878, 

 near Cranberry Summit, Preston County, West Virginia. This locality 

 is in or near lat. 39J N., and this is believed to be the most southern oc- 

 currence of the species. The inhabitants of Cranberry have never before 

 known of the occurrence of porcupines in that region. 



DeKay statedt that the species ranged south to the northern part^ of 

 Virginia and Kentucky. Mr. Allen believes that his statement was 

 founded on a remark of Catesby. Audubon and Bachman write : | "It 



*The fish received from Mr. Wilmot is the Western Gizzard Shad, Dorosovia c<q>edia- 

 num hcterurum, (R:if.) Jordan. 

 tNat. Hist. N. Y. 1842, 1, p. 79. 

 tQiiadrnjiods ofN. America, 1, 1846, p. 286. 



