360 



THE WHITE-FISH. 



inches; body rather round than flat; weight, one and a half 

 to ten pounds ; color, entirely white, with the exception of a 

 slight grayish tinge along the back ; caudal, ventral, dorsal, 

 anal, and pectoral fins, of a blended grayish and white ; tail 

 somewhat forked ; scales large, and of a beautiful metallic 

 lustre. On the whole, a superb-looking fish, with pure, white, 

 and juicy flesh, and of a taste similar in sweetness and deli- 

 cacy to the Connecticut River shad. 



Taken in nearly all the Western lakes, but more abundant 

 in Lakes Michigan and Superior. Of late years the amount 

 drawn from Lake Michigan has been so great, that they have 

 become comparatively scarce, and the fishermen have been 

 obliged to reduce the size of mesh of their nets and haul in 

 deeper water, in order to supply the demand ; but, thanks to 

 the science or art of pisciculture, the race of this most im- 

 portant commercial fish is to be perpetuated. The commis- 

 sioners of the States bordering on the lake are making prepa- 

 rations at this date (the spring of 1876) to restock with 

 immense quantities of fry. At the Detroit hatching-house 

 eight million spawn are being hatched, and Wisconsin is 

 making efforts to do its share toward repopulating Lake 

 Michigan. 



It is proposed to put the same amount of white-fis.h fry in 

 Lake Erie. The acquaintance of this fish with the u barbed 

 steel" is quite slight. He is sometimes taken with the 

 trolling-spoon, and red-and-white fly. When he shall be 

 placed in the smaller lakes and less extensive feeding- 

 grounds, he may be more readily enticed by the allurements 

 of the angler. 



