42 



EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



and none but mature fishes are taken. The larger oues are less numer- 

 ous ; ami it is claimed that the average weight of the trout caught is less 

 than in former years. 



Like the other Salmonoids, the trout have proved to be well adapted 

 to artificial culture. The one drawback with them is the difficulty of 

 obtaiuing- the spawn in the fiill of the year, when the rough weather 

 renders the visits to the spawning-grounds a matter of hardship and 



danger. 



21. — The Siscowet, Salmo siscoicet Agass. 



This interesting fish is confined, so far as known, to Lake Superior 

 alone. In a few localities in that lake it is very numerous. 



With rare exceptions of young specimens, found near the shore, it is 

 taken entirely with the gill-nets in deep water. It is a remarkably fat 

 fish, and, as a fresh fish, is very inferior for the table. Even boiled, it 

 is oily and rank in flavor. As a salt fish, packed in brine, it is most 

 excellent, and is universally admitted to surpass either white-fish or 

 trout. Its range of depth is outside of forty fathoms. How much 

 deeper than this it may be found I cannot tell, as no fishing at greater 

 depth than fifty fathoms came under my observation in Lake Superior. 

 "The stomachs were found to be filled with a Cottoid. This seemed to be 

 its entire article of food in the vicinity of the Apostle Islands. 



The flesh varied from nearly white to a light reddish tint, not so deep- 

 colored as is found in the salmon and the Mackinaw trout. 



They spawn earlier in the fall than any of the other Salmonoids in 

 the lakes. By the latter part of August the spawn in some of them is 

 ripe and running freely, while in the month of September the females 

 are all ripe and depositing spawn. Thej^ seemed to have no migratory 

 instinct at this season, but were taken while spawning in the same 

 vicinity where they had been taken for weeks previously. 



The ovaries from three specimens of mature females contained the 

 following quantities of eggs : 



Weifflit of fish. 



Weight hi 



Number of 



esss. 



5 pounds 

 5 pounds 



Ounces. 

 12 

 10 

 12 



2,796 

 3,120 

 3,756 



We have no knowledge of the time it requires the eggs to hatch, nor 

 any data with reference to the growth of the fish. The young ones 

 probably remain in deep water, as they are not taken in the pound-nets, 

 and frequently quite small ones are found in the gill-nets. They will 

 average about four and one-half pounds in weight, the largest coming 

 under our observation weighing about eight pounds. 



