CHAPTER LI 



ORDER OE TROUT AND SALMON 

 ISOSPONDYLI 



THIS grand Order is represented in North American 

 waters by 13.5 full speeies of fishes, all decidedly edible, 

 and the majority of them are classed as "game" fishes. It 

 includes not only some of the most choice of all our finny 

 tribes, but also others whose commercial value is of the 

 highest rank. In it are found the trout, salmon, whitefish, 

 shad, herring, menhaden and tarpon. Despite the gnat 

 number of species in the Spiny-Finned Order (446), it seems 

 highly probable that their combined value in the markets 

 falls far below the aggregate for the Order now under con- 

 sideration. In 1913 the value of the annual salmon catch 

 of Alaska alone was $14,448,234, whereas the annual value 

 of the cod, the most valuable food fish of the Atlantic, was 

 only $2,031,744. 



Reminding the reader once more that we are endeavoring 

 to present groups in the order of their natural rank and im- 

 portance, we present first in this Order of fishes the Family 

 of highest interest and value. 



THE SALMON FAMILY 

 Sal-mon'i-dae 



The Salmon Family contains all the trout, salmon and 

 w liitefishes, to the number of thirty-two full species and 



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