THE ;iAMli FISH OF NOKTH AMIiKICA. 23 



of tlicir coustitutious; and, it is probable, to tlie excellence of their 

 flesh, and the courage and boldness of their tempers. 



To this class belong several of the finest and most important of all 

 our fish, both as regards the table, and the sport ; for to this are 

 directly referable the Salmon, that king of the piscine world, the Sea 

 Trout, the Striped Bass, the Shad, and the Smelt ; both of which, for 

 reasons which I shall give, when I am to treat of them, under their 

 own proper heads, I admit as Game Fishes. 



Our fresh-water fishes, then, all belonging to the two classes above 

 named, Malacopterygii, soft-finned, and Acanthopterygiij or spiny- 

 finned, are divided into the following families: — 



Of the first. Abdominal Malacopterygii, we have 

 The family of Salmonidje, of which the true sea Salmon is the 

 type, and of which there are many varieties and sub-genera, both 

 migratory and non-migratoi'y ; the principal are 

 Genus Salmo : 



The True Salmon, Salmo Salar. 



The Greatest Lake Trout — Mackinaw Salmon — Salmo 



Amethystus. 

 The Northern Lake Trout — Siskawitz — Salmo Siskawitz. 

 The Lake Trout — Salmon Trout — Salmo Covfinis. 

 The Sebago Trout, Salmo Sebago. 

 The Arctic Char, Salmo Hoodii. 

 The Sea Trout, White Trout, or Silver Trout — Salmo Trutta 



Marina. 

 The Brook Trout, Salmo Fontinalis. 

 Genus Osmerus : 



The Smelt, Osmerus Viridescens. 

 Genus Thymallus : 



The Arctic Grayling, Thymallus Signifer. 

 Genus Coregonus : 



The White Fish, Coregonus Alhus. 



The Otsego Bass* — misnomer — Coregonus Otsego. 



* This very beautiful fish so closely resembles the White-fish, Coregonus Alhus, 

 as to be conceived by many persons to be merely a casual variety. This, however, 

 does not appear to be in truth the case. It is greatly to be regretted liiat true and 

 distinctive names should not be attached to fishes which, having been absurdly mis- 



