166 SALMONID^. 



me by Mr. Webber, the author of a series of very agreeable 

 letters concerning the fishing of that region, which were pub- 

 lished in the columns of the New York Courier and Inquirer 

 during the past summer. 



It is very unfortunate that, so far, none of the gentlemen 

 who have been so lucky as to take this highly-coloured and fine 

 fish, have possessed sufficient scientific knowledge to examine 

 and record its characteristics in such a manner as to allow us to 

 decide upon its identity with any known species. 



The only thing which appears to be certain, is this : that it 

 does not belong to any one of the three known species of the 

 non-migratory Lake Trout. As it is said to have been taken 

 by the President of the Piseco Club, a gentleman on whose 

 authority perfect reliance may be placed, up to the great weight 

 of twenty -four pounds, this must, in my opinion, be either an 

 entirely nondescript fish, or merely a Brook Trout of gigantic 

 dimensions. 



It is generally described as being square-tailed, with two 

 rows of red spots, the ventrals and pectorals deeply tinged with 

 vermilion, and the flesh of a bright glowing carnation, and a 

 delicious flavour. Now, this description coincides with no 

 described fish of North America, though nearly agreeing with 

 that of the great Common English Trout of the Thames and of 

 the Irish lakes and rivers. 



But to return to the Masamacush, as it is known to exist in 

 the northern waters. 



Its body, as will be observed in the cut, is more slender than 

 that of an}' of the Salmonida heretofore described, and the head 

 is about a sixth of the total length. The lower jaw, when 



