FAMILY SALMONID^ — 3ALM0. 241 



This magnificent Trout, which is the largest hitherto known of the Salmonida, exists in all 

 the great lakes lying between the United States and the Arctic ocean, is exceedingly voracious, 

 feeding upon every fish within its reach ; and according to Dr. Mitchill, is sometimes of the 

 weight of one hundred and twenty pounds. It is a favorite article of food with the Canadian 

 voyageurs, who frequently eat it raw. Its flesh is reddish. Like the preceding species, it 

 resorts habitually to the deepest parts of the lake, and only comes near the shores in October 

 to spavra, when the natives spear it by torch light. Lake Huron appears to be its most 

 southerly range in any considerable numbers, although a few are taken occasionally in Lake 

 Erie, along the shores of Ohio, Pennsylvania and New-York. 



It has been observed as far north as the sixty-eighth parallel. 



THE COMMON SEA SALMON. 



Salmo salar. 



PLATE XXXVm. FIG. 132. 



Salmo miar. LiNNEUS, 12 ed. p. 509; Mitchill, Lit. and Phil. Soc. Vol. 1, p. 435. 



5. id. De Witt Clinton, Lit. and Phil. Soc. N. Y. Vol. 1, p. 147. 



5. id., The Salmon. Stoeee, Mass. Report, p. 104; Richardson, F. B. A. Vol. 3, p. 145. 



Characteristics. Elongated. Bluish black above ; paler grey beneath. Pectorals, dorsal 

 and caudal blackish. Length 2 to 3 feet. 



Description. Body elongate oval ; the greatest depth in front of the dorsal fin. Head one- 

 fifth of the total length. Scales on the body moderate, thin, oval, rather easily detached ; 

 with about one hundred and twenty along the lateral line, and about forty-five in an oblique 

 series. Lateral line straight and nearly central. Head naked, declivous. Nostrils conti- 

 guous, vertical, and much nearer the eyes than the extremity of the snout. Teeth numerous, 

 robust, sharp and incurved, in a single row on the under jaw ; one or two on the anterior part 

 of the vomer ; three to five on the tongue. Dorsal fin emarginate above, and half way 

 between the point of the upper jaw and the base of the caudal fin ; the adipose fin long and 

 rounded. Pectorals pointed, equaling in length the base of the first dorsal. Ventral with 

 its first ray simple, and a pointed accessory plate. Anal quadrate, higher than long. Cau- 

 dal lunated, with a sinuous margin. Branchial rays twelve. 



Color. Above to the lateral line, bluish black tinged with grey ; beneath this, silvery white. 

 Head darker than the upper part of the body. Ventrals and anals light-colored ; the former 

 dark on the membrane connecting the first three rays. Abdomen pearly white, intermixed 

 with bluish tints. Opercle with one or more dark spots, which are occasionally found distri- 

 buted over the body. 



Length, 24-0 -36-0. 



Fin rays, D. 1.30; P. 15; V. 9 ; A. 9; C. 19 |. 



Fauna — Part 4. 31 





