IX.--ON THE COLLECTION OF EGGS OP SCHOODIC SALMON, IN 



1875 AND 1876. 



By Chas. G. Atkins. 



A— NOTES ON THE SPECIES. 



1. — NOMENCLATURE. 



There are in the State of Maine four lake systems known to be in- 

 habited by fresh-water (or "land-locked") salmon, namely the systems 

 of Sebago Lake, of Sebec Lake, of Union Eiver, and of the Saint Croix 

 River. Specimens from the Saint Croix have been critically examined 

 by Dr. Suckley and placed by him in Dr. Girard's species, 8almo sehago, 

 which latter was based on specimens from the Sebago region. A single 

 specimen of the young of the Union Eiver fish, examined by Dr. Girard, 

 has served to connect the fish of that locality with those of the Sebago 

 and Saint Criox. From this single specimen Dr. Girard erected the 

 species 8. gloveri, and many writers have, with what reason I cannot 

 see, considered this name applicable to the Saint Croix fish ; but Dr. 

 Suckley pronounces S. gloveri to be synonymous with S. sebago, and 

 would thus establish the identity of the fresh-water salmon from three 

 of the systems named. I do not know that the result of any studies on 

 the salmon of the Sebec waters has been published, but if Dr. Suckley's 

 decision as to the specific identity of the other three varieties stands, 

 doubtless the Sebec fish must go with them as constituting a fourth 

 variety of the species Salmo sebago. 



I think I am certainly warranted in speaking of the fresh-water sal- 

 mon of the difierent localities as different varieties. My observation has 

 been but superficial, to be sure, but I have examined and handled a. 

 large number of specimens from the Sebago and Saint Croix waters, and 

 quite a number from Sebec, and the apparent differences among them 

 have been quite marked. Of these three, the Schoodic and Sebec fish 

 are much alike, agreeing very well in size (not an important point) and 

 differing in general appearance less than the Schoodic and Sebago fish. 

 The latter is far the largest of the three, and bears, at the spawning 

 season, when only I have seen it, a much stronger resemblance than 

 either of the others to the sea-going species, Salmo salar. The salmon 

 of Union Eiver I have never seen, but from descriptions received, con- 

 clude that they closely resemble those of the Sebago, being large, stout- 

 built fish. 



910 



