306 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



87-7 or 8, the most frequent number being 9-81-8. Vertebra?, 57. Gill- 

 rakers varying from 45 to 58 (15 to 19+30 to 38), long and slender, 

 about 1>- in eye. 



Body long, slender, and somewhat compressed; dorsal and ventral 

 outlines but little arched; head pointed; mouth large, jaws subequal 

 or lower jaw somewhat projecting; maxillary long, usually reaching 

 to vertical of pupil, its width 2h times in its length; supplemental 

 maxillary bone broad, about half length of maxillary; mandible long, 

 but not often reaching vertical of posterior border of orbit; middle of 

 upper jaw on level with lower edge of orbit. Caudal peduncle slender, 

 not much compressed, its least depth equal to distance from tip of 

 snout to middle of eye. Distance from tip of snout to occiput 2£ times 

 in distance from occiput to origin of dorsal tin, which is somewhat 

 nearer snout than base of caudal fin. Dorsal fin small, length of base 

 about 2} in head, longest ray If in head; base of anal fin about equal 

 to that of dorsal, its longest ray about 2£ in head; pectoral 1 1 in head. 

 Color in life: Back dull bluish-green, this color extending down the 

 sides nearly to the lateral line; lower part of sides silvery, under parts 

 white or silvery; dorsal fin usually blackish or bluish-black on distal 

 third, sometimes plain, membrane often punctate with dark; caudal 

 bluish-black at tip ; anal and ventrals pure white ; pectorals white, edged 

 with dark above. Sometimes the anal has a few black specks at base 

 and on anterior part. The snout is also often more or less dark. 



It will be noticed from the numerous comparative measurements and 

 actual counts of fin rays, scales, and gillrakers, as exhibited in the 

 accompanying table, that the amount of variation among individuals 

 of this species is astonishingly great. The greatest range of variation 

 is found in the scales. While the number in the transverse series is 

 pretty constant, the variation being only through 1 (i. e., from 15 to 18), 

 there is no such constancy in the number in the longitudinal series. 

 Omitting from consideration in this connection all specimens in which 

 mutilation of any kind renders the accurate counting of the scales un- 

 certain, we find an extreme variation of 31 in the number of scales in 

 the lateral line. The minimum number found by us is G2 in specimen 

 No. 56, from Lake Ontario. The maximum number is 92 in specimen 

 No. 142, from Lake Erie. These are the extreme variations in the scales, 

 and are exceptional. The number does not usually run lower than 74 

 nor higher than 83. 



The variation in the gillrakers is very great. The least number found 

 was 43 and the greatest 58. The average for 101 examples counted, 

 excluding mutilated ones, was 47. The length of the longest gillraker 

 varies somewhat, from 1 to 1J times in the diameter of the eye, the 

 average for over 100 examples being about 1^. The gillrakers are, 

 however, always long and slender, and average more in number than 

 in any other species of Argyrosomus except nigri])innis and tullibee. 



