154 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



being- deteiTcd therefrom by dread of that curse of the summer angler, 

 the black-fl}', which is to me especially venomous. 



" A letter, which I insert below, from a capital angler, who has caught 

 this tish in the far-famed Louis Lake, agrees exactly with the character- 

 istics of the Seneca Lake trout, but not with his habits; as I have the 

 best authority for stating that in Seneca Lake they are never taken 

 either by the tiy or by trolling; although in Crooked Lake, immediately 

 adjoining it, they are constantly caught by trolling for them with shhiers 

 strung upon the hook, and drawn headforemost, with a hook, leaded to 

 sink 20 or 30 feet. 



" In Seneca Lake they are taken on set-lines, varying in depth from 

 25 to 400 feet ; concerning which method, more under the head of lake- 

 fishing. 



"The following is au accurate description of one of the fish sent to 

 me from Seneca Lake. It differs, as will be seen, in many respects, in 

 structure, shape, and color, from the account quoted at page 117 from 

 Dr. DeKay's Fauna of Xew York, almost widely enough, in my opinion, 

 to justify its erectiou into a separate si^ecies. 



^'•Dental system. — A double row of strong, hooked teeth, on the labials 

 and palatines of the upper jaw. The vomer perfectly smooth and tooth- 

 less, lu the lower jaw, a single row of strong hooked teeth on the 

 labials, and a double row of smaller size on the tongue. 



" Branchiostegous rays, 11 on the right side, 13 on the left. Pectoral 

 fin rays, 10; ventral, 10; anal, 12; dorsal, 13; caudal, 27. 



" In all these respects it differs from De Kay's Salmo confinis. Whole 

 length, 19i inches. Head, 4 inches to the lower margin of the interoper- 

 cnlum. Eye, 1^ inches from tip of snout. Origin of the ventral tin, 9| 

 inches ; of the anal, 13 ; of first dorsal, 8i ; of second dorsal, 14 from the 

 tip of the snout. Depth of the tish at the origin of the first dorsal, 3| 

 inches; breadth of back, 2 inches. Cnrvature of the belly greater than 

 that of the dorsal outline. 



"Color of the head, dark bluish-black. Irides, silvery; gill-covers, 

 silvery, with nacreous reflections. Back and sides, above the lateral line, 

 beautiful, glossy, cerulean-blue, mottled with bright silvery spots of the 

 size of large duck-shots ; below the lateral line the silvery spots are 

 larger and the ground lighter blue ; belly, pure silver. 



" Pectoral fins, pale yellowish-green ; ventrals and anal greenish, very 

 faintly tinged with red. First dorsal, greenish-transparent, veined with 

 black; second dorsal, silvery-gray, slightly mottled; caudal, greenish- 

 gray, mottled with black. 



"A very beautifully-formed fish, more tapering than the yanniycush 

 or Sisl'oicitz, with the small head, and nuich both of the form and luster 

 of the true sea-salmon. Flesh rich, orange-buff, very firm, highly-fla- 

 vored, and delicate. This fish, and another, rather larger, but otherwise 

 exactly agreeing with this, were eaten at my table by a party of six 

 gentlemen, as good judges of good eating as any with whom I am ac- 



