FISHES OF VERMONT. 591 



30. Argyrosomus artedi (LeSueur). Lake Herring; Cisco. 

 Recorded by Mr. Thompson from Lake Chainplain : 



'• This lish is only occasionally met with in Lake Champlain, hut they sometimes 

 appear here in myriads. In the spring of 18-47 they were, for a short time, taken at 

 Burlington in very large numbers, as many as 200 being taken at one haul of the 

 seine. In some years none at all are taken here. The specimen from which the 

 preceding description is made was taken in 1848, and I learned of only two others 

 being taken at that season. It resembles somewhat the lake shad, C. alius [C. 

 clupeiformis], but is a rounder fish, having much less depth in proportion to its length. 

 It is much esteemed as an article of food. It is common in Lake Ontario and Lake 

 Erie, and is called in many places the shad salmon." 



Mr. Titcomb informs us that this species is quite common in several Vermont lakes, 

 notably Lake Bomoseen, in Rutland County. For the protection of other fish it is 

 not lawful to net them, and they are seldom caught for market except an occasional 

 illegally taken haul. In the fall of the year, October or November, they appear in 

 large schools, close to the rocky shores of the lake, for the purpose of spawning. 

 They are not seen at any other season of the year. 



The National Museum contains a specimen (No. 17000) of this species, sent from 

 Vergennes, Vt., by Mr. M. E. Hall. We know of no other definite record of its pres- 

 ence in the waters of that State. 



31. Salmo salar Linnaeus. Common Atlantic Salmon. 



We have no record of any recent occurrence of the Atlantic salmon in Vermont. 

 Concerning this fish Mr. Thompson says : 



" The salmon, formerly very plentiful in nearly all the large streams in this State, is 

 now so exceedingly rare a visitant that I have not been able to obtain a specimen 

 taken in our waters from which to make a description for this work. They have 

 entirely ceased to ascend our rivers, and only straggling individuals are now met 

 within Lake Champlain. I have heard of only one being taken here during the 

 past summer, and that I did not see. The causes which have been principally oper- 

 ative in driving these fishes from our waters have already been mentioned. When 

 the country was new, according to Dr. Williams, there was a regular and abundant 

 migration of these iishes to and from our waters in spring and autumn.* They came 

 up Connecticut River about the 25th of April and proceeded to the highest branches. 

 Shortly after they appeared in Lake Champlain and the large streams which fall 

 into it. So strong is their instinct for migration that, in ascending the streams, they 

 forced their passage over cataracts of several feet in height and in opposition to the 

 most rapid currents. They were sometimes seen to make six or seven attempts 

 before they succeeded in ascending the falls. When thus going up in the spring 

 they were plump and fat and of an excellent flavor, and from the beginning of May 

 to the middle of June they were taken in great numbers. When they arrived in the 

 upper parts of the streams they deposited their spawn. Toward the end of September 

 they returned to the ocean, but so emaciated and lean as to be of little account as an 

 article of food. In thespring salmon were often taken weighing from 30 to 10 pounds." 



32. Cristivomer namaycush (Walbaum). Lake Trout; Longe; Togue. 



The lake trout or longe is said to be uncommon in Lakes Champlain and Memphre- 

 magog now. Mr. 11. M. Price, of Burlington, says that one is occasionally taken. 

 Mr. Miles, of Newport, says that very large longe are occasionally taken in Lake 

 Memphremagog. One weighing 24 pounds was recently taken near the Mountain 



Mouse. 



Concerning this species Mr. Thompson has the following: 



"This species of trout bears considerable resemblance to the Salmo trutta, or 

 salmon trout, of Europe, and, being mistaken for that fish by the first European 

 settlers of this country, it has since usually borne the name of salmon trout. In the 



History of Vermont, vol. 1, page 147. 



