DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS. 149 



THE LAKE TROUT. 



Salmo Confiiiis — Dekay. 



The Lake Trout. 



Not having been enabled this spring to obtain a specimen of 

 this fish, which I was exceedingly anxious to do, for the piu-pose 

 of comparing it with the Siskawitz and Namaycush, I take the 

 following account from the " New York Fauna " of Dr. Dekay, 

 whose description of the fish is very complete. It is a very 

 closely cognate species with the two last described, but I believe 

 it to be clearly distinct, which in the first instance I was disposed 

 to doubt — 



'^ Characteristics. — Blackish, with numerous grey spots. Body 

 robust ; comparatively short in proportion to its depth ; caudal 

 fin with a sinuous margin. Length, two to four feet. 



" Description, — Body stout, thicker and shorter than the 

 Common Salmon. Length of the head to the total length, as 

 one to four and a half nearly. Dorsal outline curved. Scales, 

 small, orbicular, and minutely striated. The lateral line dis- 

 tinctly marked by a series of tubular plates, arising at the 

 upper angle of the opercular opening, slightly concave until 



