THE WENERNS-LAX. 113 



are silent on the subject, but Kroyer assigns November, 

 December, and January as the period of the lek. 



This fish attains to a large size in the northern waters. 

 Faith affirms that in Jutland it has been captured of thirty 

 pounds weight. 



THE WENERNS-LAX. 



This drawing was taken from a male fish in high con- 

 dition, weighing upwards of thirty pounds, and measuring 

 forty-two inches in length. The tail, it will be remarked, 

 is nearly square, a characteristic, however, less observable 

 in the younger fish than in those of mature age. 



The male and female adults always differ somewhat in 

 appearance, and in the spawning season considerably. At 

 that time, indeed, the male, as with the male S. Solar, 

 becomes so changed in form and colour, as to be hardly 

 recognizable. The cartilaginous substance on his snout, in 

 like manner with the S. Salar, then becomes greatly deve- 

 loped, and though the " ugly excrescence " only continues 

 for a time, yet it has conferred on the male Wenerns-Lax 

 (as also, I believe, on the male S. Salar) the appellation of 

 Krok, or Hook, by which name (and by that alone, Lax 



VOL. i. i 



