166 



FISHES. 



This fish remanis in the lakes all the year. It 

 spawns in spring and autumn ; is very numerous ; 

 and the surface of the Cayuga Lake is sometimes 

 rippled with it to a great distance. It inhabits the 

 Canandaigua, and probably all the parallel lakes. 

 In the straits of Detroit, and at the falls of St. 

 Mary, it is caught in great numbers, and put up 

 in salt for exportation. 



My description of it may be somewhat inaccu- 

 rate, as I saw it only in salt. It has never been 

 found in the eastern waters, and such is its clupea 

 shape, that it is considered a shad by many of the 

 inhabitants. 



A species of clupea, or herring is also found in 

 the lakes, which has been considered a young 

 white fish. Its vulgar name is sisco, and it is a 

 non-descript. 



Its length is near twelve inches, and it is about 

 two and a iialf inches in breadth ; of the abdo- 

 minal order ; first dorsal fin has ten rays, and is 

 over the ventral. The second dorsal fin rayless 

 and adipose over the anal, and near the tail ; tail 

 forked ; scales glittering like silver, and small ; 

 lateral line scarcely visible ; back rising into con- 

 siderable convexity, and sloping to the head ; 

 belly carinate ; no teeth in jaws but in tongue ; 

 weignt generally seven ounces. 



