OTHEE FISH AND GAME 267 



THE COMMON LAKE-TROUT 



Salvelinus namaycush, or the great lake-trout, grows 

 to an enormous size in Canadian waters. In January, 

 1895, the Hon. John Costigan, M.P., upon his ap- 

 pointment as Minister of Marine and Fisheries for the 

 Dominion of Canada, was sent a present in the shape 

 of one of these fish, captured in Lake Superior, that 

 weighed fifty-three pounds. Another specimen, taken 

 some years ago in Lake Metis, and stuffed by Mr. J. 

 U. Gregory, of Quebec, weighed thirty -one pounds 

 when caught. It is on exhibition in the rotunda of 

 the Chateau Frontenac at Quebec, where it has been 

 taken for a salmon, on account of its size, by anglers 

 devoid of experience of the larger varieties of sal- 

 monida3. The namaycush grows to an enormous size 

 in Lake St. John, as well as in Tschotagama, Lac a 

 Jim, Mistassini, and, in fact, in nearly all the lakes of 

 the Labrador peninsula. By French-Canadians it is 

 known both as the touladi and the queue fourchee, 

 or forked-tail trout. It is almost invariably captured 

 in deep, cool water, and, in fact, can survive in no 

 other in the hot summer months. Of all the species 

 of Salvelinus it requires a habitat of lowest tempera- 

 ture. It is usually taken by deep-water trolling, com- 

 plete instructions for which are furnished in Shields's 

 American Game Fishes, by Mr. Luther Pardee, with 

 descriptions and illustrations of the gear required, and 

 also of the gangs employed by both Mr. A. N. Cheney 

 and the late Mr. Seth Green. It is sometimes also 

 taken with a spoon or phantom minnow. The Ind- 

 ians in the interior catch it for food upon night-lines 



