OTSEGO BASS. 151 



CHAPTEK X. 



OTSEGO BASS. 



Coregonus Otsego. This fish must be carefully distin- 

 guished from the Oswego Bass, there being no resem- 

 blance except in the stupidity of confounding by name 

 one of the perch family, to which the latter belongs, with 

 one of the salmon family, to which this belongs. The 

 Otsego Bass is closely allied to the white-fish, but has 

 numerous dusky longitudinal lines on the sides. Its 

 mouth and scales are small, and it appears to have no 

 teeth except the bristles on the gill-arches. The lateral 

 line is nearly straight, and the tail is deeply forked. 

 The back is a rich blue, fading into green, the sides bril- 

 liant with mother of pearl, and the belly gleaming like 

 molten silver. The rays are as follows : 



Br. 9 ; D. 13 ; P. 17 ; Y. 11 ; A. 11 ; C. 22. 



The second back fin, as in all the salmon tribe, is ad: 

 pose and rayless. 



These fish have as yet only been found in Otsego 

 Lake, where they are rapidly diminishing in size and 

 numbers. They are not known to take any bait, and 

 are presumed to feed on aquatic vegetation. Early in 

 spring they seek the shallow water for a few days, when 

 they are taken in nets ; but shortly retiring to the 

 deepest water, they remain till Autumn, when they 



