Chap. 5. 



FISHES OF VERMONT. 



141 



THE LONGE, OR SALMON TROUT. 



THE BROOK TROUT. 



Salmon ; head flattened and slightly con- 

 vex between the eyes ; greatest depth 

 contained about five times in the total 

 length. Color dark bluish brown above 

 approaching to black on the head ; sides 

 thickly spotted with roundish, yellowish 

 gray spots on a dark brownish gray 

 ground, the spots unequal, but usually 

 about the size of ,a small pea; belly yel- 

 lowish white; fins dark brown mottled 

 with yellowish white ; the pectorals, ven- 

 trals and anal slightly tinged with orange 

 yellow. Lateral line plain, prominent 

 and nearly straight. Scales small and 

 thin, but much larger than on the Brook 

 Trout. Eyes midway between the tip of 

 the snout and the nape, and twice as 

 near the former as to the hind edge of the 

 gill cover, the measurement being made 

 from the centre of the pupil ; iris yellow- 

 ish. JS'ustrils nearer the eye than the tip 

 of the snout, double, orifices nearly equal, 

 the anterior having a raised margin. 

 Jaws equal, strong, and armed with in- 

 curved, sharp, conical teeth ; similar teeth 

 on the front part of the vomer, on the 

 palate bones, and two rows on the tongue, 

 witli a deep groove between them. Prc- 

 operailum but little curved, and nearly 

 vertical, suboperculum large and finely 

 grooved. The dorsal fin medial, higher 

 than long, and the ventral situated nearly 

 under the middle of it ; adipose fin club- 

 shaped and nearly over the posterior ray 

 of the anal ; the anal higher than long, 

 the anterior part being three times the 

 height of the posterior; tail forked, with 

 pointed lobes. Length of the specimen 

 before me 23.^ inches — to the posterior 

 edwe of the operculum .5-', — to the begin- 

 ning of the dorsal 10;^ — to the vent l.j — 

 weight 4 pounds. 



Kays, B. 12, F. 1.5, D. 11, V. 9, A. 11, 

 C. 1!). 



History. — This species of Trout bears 

 considerable resemblance to the Sahno 

 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 

 Trovt. In the northern parts of this 

 state and in the eastern townships in 

 Canada, it is at present extensively known 

 by the name of Longe. In Pennanfs 

 Arctic Zoology, and by the fur traders at 

 the northwest, its more common appella- 

 tion is jyamai/cusli, or JVamaijcush Salmon. 

 It is called "by Dr. Mitchell the Great 

 Lake Trout, and he describes it under the 

 scientific name of Salmo a.methi/stus* 

 This magnificent trout equals or surpass- 

 es the Common Salmon in size, and is 



* Jour, of lliR Acail. Nai. Science, Pliiladelpliia; 

 Vol. 1, page 410. 



found in most of the lakes and large ponds 

 in tlie northern parts of North America. In 

 the great lakes at the northwest it is often 

 taken wcighina;' from oO to GO pounds, and 

 according to Dr. Mitchell, it has been 

 taken at Michllimackinac of the enormous 

 weight of ]2() pounds. This fish was 

 formerly common in lake Champlain and 

 in several ponds in the western part of 

 the state, btit, like the Salmon, it is now 

 rarely caught in those waters. It is, how- 

 ever, still found in considerable plenty in 

 several ponds in the northern part of 

 Vermont, particularly in Orleans county. 

 Bell-water pond in Barton, and several 

 ponds in Glover, Charleston, &c., are 

 much celebrated on account of the fino 

 Longe which they afford. These usually 

 vary from half a pound to 10 ])ounds, but 

 are often much larger. Individuals are 

 said to have been taken recently in Glov- 

 er weighing 25 pounds, and in Charleston 

 exceeding 40 pounds. 



This fish passes most of th"^ time in the 

 deepest parts of the lakes and ponds, but 

 according to Dr. Riciiardson, resorts to 

 the shallows to spawn in October. It is 

 a very voracious fish, and is sometimes 

 termed the tyrant of the lakes. It is ta- 

 ken with the hook and line, and is also 

 speared by torch light Its flesh is of a 

 reddish yellow color, and is very much 

 esteemed as an article of food. Roasting 

 is said to be the best method of cooking 

 it. "The Canadian voyagenrs are fond 

 of eating it raw, in a frozen state, after 

 scorching it for a second or two over a 

 a quick fire, until the scales can be easily 

 detached, but not continuing the applica- 

 tion of heat long enougli to thaw the in- 

 terior." * 



THE BROOK TROUT. 



Salmo fonlinalis . — Mitchell. 

 Description. —Color above brown, with 

 darker markings, fading into white or 

 yellowish white on the belly; sides witJi 

 numerous roundish yellow spots of un- 

 equal size, but usually about the bigness 

 of a small pea; and also very small brio-ht 

 red spots commonly situated within the 

 yellow ones. These red spots are ex- 

 tremely variable, being very few in some 

 specimens and numerous in others. The 

 caudal and first dorsal fin transversely 

 banded or mottled with black. Head one 

 seventh the total Icno-th, darker colored 

 than the back. E}'es large, iris silvery. 

 Teeth hook inwaid, on the jaws, tongue, 

 palatine bones and vomer ; those on the 

 tongue largest. Jaws equal. Scales very 



* Eicliarclson's Fauna Boreali Americana, vol. Ill, 

 page ISO. 



