VISHES. 



105 



LETTER XXXIX. 



Western Begion, August. 1820. 

 My Dear Sir, 



The white fish is the most delicious fish which 

 swims in the western waters ; it is found in Lake 

 Ontario, and in all the other lakes to the north 

 and west as far as the fur merchant has extended 

 his researches. 



It appears to partake of the salmo and the clu- 

 pea, and it unites the delicious taste of the shad 

 and the common salmon. Dr. r\Iitchell has very 

 judiciously named it salmo clupea^formis. 



It is of the abdominal order. The first dorsal 

 fin is directly above the ventral, and is twelve 

 rayed. The second is adipose, and is placed 

 above the anal fin some distance from the caudal, 

 which last is furcated. The lateral line is straight, 

 weaving lines cross it longitudinally the whole 

 breadth of the fish until the lower part of the ab- 

 domen ; the belly is carinate ; the back convex, 

 and the head sloping. The mouth is even and 

 wide, with teeth ; colour more silvery than that of 

 a shad ; scales large ; size generally from three 

 to six pounds, and it has been known to weigh 

 ten pounds. 



