THE MICHIGAN" PENINSULA. 209 



able as a sporting authority, determined to settle the question finally 

 and beyond cavil. Accordingly, he wrote to Mr. Fitzhugh, and suc- 

 ceeded in procuring five specimens. These were speared by Indians 

 through the ice in Hersey Creek, some hundred miles distant from 

 Bay City. They were received at the rooms of the " Blooming Grove 

 Park Association," and were duly submitted to several English gentle- 

 men, who were familiar with the fish in the old country. They were 

 brought also to the notice of such experts as Clerke, Abbey, McMartin, 

 and others, who united in the opinion that they were the true Gray- 

 ling. Afterwards they were exhibited on a platter at the restaurant 

 and dining-room of which Mr. J.. Sutherland is proprietor. Two were 

 then selected, a male and female, which Mr. S. kindly packed in ice, 

 and forwarded to Prof. Agassiz. 



The satisfaction of those who had so long labored to solve the prob- 

 lem may be conceived, when the following letter was shown them, 

 corroborating their opinions, and defining the status of the fish among 

 the family of Graylings : 



MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY, J 

 CAMBRIDGE, MASS., Feb. 1, 1873. J 



MY DEAR SIR : I was greatly rejoiced, yesterday, to receive the two fishes you 

 were kind enough to send me. They are most interesting, and a gre*at acquisition 

 to our museum. Thus far, this species has only been seen by one American natur- 

 alist, Prof. COPE, of Philadelphia, who described it under the name of Thymallus 

 tricolor (Thymallus tricolor.) It is a species of Grayling. Before Prof. COPE'S 

 discovery, this genus of fish was only known on the American continent from the 

 Arctic regions, about Mackenzie River, where it had been discovered by Sir JOHN 

 FRANKLIN. You may judge by this how valuable a contribution your fish is to our 

 collection. 



Yours, very truly, L. AGASSIZ. 



J. SUTHERLAND, Esq., No. 64 Liberty Street, New- York. 



This letter was very naturally addressed to the gentleman who for- 

 warded the fish, though the Professor greatly erred in attributing the 

 credit of the discovery where it did not in the remotest degree belong. 



Other specimens of the same fish have been forwarded to Professor 

 Baird, of the Smithsonian Institute at Washington, and to the Acad- 

 emy of Natujjal Sciences at Philadelphia. 



14 



