REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. IxXV 

 12. — The wliite-Jislij Coregonus, etc. 



In the report by Mr. Miluer, on page 1, will be found the result of his 

 iuvestigations, prosecuted through two seasons, with regard to this the 

 most important fish of the great lakes ; and iu his general conclusions 

 and recommendations, as to the future treatment of the subject, I 

 entirely concur. 



Few fishes of North America will better repay efforts for their mul- 

 tiplication than the white-fish. It is to this species especially that the 

 States bordering on the great lakes have had their attention directed, 

 and it is probable that the efforts of the United States will not be re- 

 quired to any great extent in aiding the multiplication of their numbers. 

 It is understood that the newly-appointed commissioners of Michigan 

 aim at introducing to the waters bordering on that State at least eight 

 or ten millions of artificially -hatched eggs, and it is probable that Wis- 

 consin, Ohio, and Minnesota will sooner or later follow suit. The intro- 

 duction of this fish into the lakes of California and Utah will, however, 

 continue to occupy my attention as far as the funds at my command 

 will permit. 



Otsego Lake iu Central New York, the head of the Susquehanna 

 Eiver, is tenanted by a fish of the finest quality called the Otsego bass, 

 {Coregonus otscgo,) a true white-fish, and not yet satisfactorily distin- 

 guished from the C. albus, or the white-fish of the lakes. This is now 

 the subject of experiment in the way of artificial multiplication for the 

 benefit of Otsego Lake, and may hereafter furnish a valuable contribu- 

 tion to other lakes. Otsego Lake is, perhaps, the most southern station 

 for the genus Coregonus, in the Eastern United States at least, and the 

 fish from its waters are probably well adapted to other lakes of the 

 same or even more southern latitudes. The experiment now making at 

 Cooperstown, N. T., under the direction of Capt. Elihu Phinney and 

 Capt. P. P. Cooper, is, therefore, one in Avhich the public have a great 

 interest. 



13. — The nerflin.g, orfe, or golden tench. — [Iclus melanotus.) 



A fish lately introduced into England from Germany is the " orfe " 

 or "nerfliug," Idus melanotus, a cypriuoid related to the European tench, 

 and which is valuable for its beauty, color, and appearance, as well as 

 for food. 



It is said to surpass the gold-fish iu the brilliant red color that covers 

 the upper portion of the body. The belly portion is white. It is also 

 said to be more active and lively in its movements, and attains a much 

 larger size. It is very prolific, and sustains its numbers in larger bodies 

 of water than the gold-fish does. Those who have seen this fish in its 

 native waters state that there is no more brilliant sight imaginable than 

 to witness the schools of ^' nerflings"' rise in a body to the surface and 

 flash along iu the sunlight, as they delight to do. 



