b 



242 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 



The Sea Salmon rarely now appears on our coast, except as a straggling visiter. Such an 

 occurrence took place in August, 1840, when a salmon, weighing eight pounds, entered the 

 Hudson river, and ascended it more than one hundred and fifty miles, when it was taken near 

 Troy. Previous to the setting of so many nets along the whole course of this river, it is 

 probable that salmon were more numerous. In the Journal of Hendrick Hudson, when he 

 first describes the noble river wliich now bears his name, he states, " Many salmon, mullets 

 and rays very great ;" and when he passed the Highlands, he says, " Great stores of salmon 

 in the river." It now is only seen on our northern borders, ascending the St. Lawrence from 

 the sea, and appearing in Lake Ontario in April, and leaving it again in October or Novem- 

 ber. They were formerly very abundant in the lakes in the interior of the State, which 

 communicated with Lake Ontario ; but the artificial impediments thrown in their way have 

 o-reatly decreased their numbers, and in many cases caused their total destruction. I have 

 seen some from Oneida lake weighing ten and fifteen pounds, and one of them exhibited the 

 following radial formula : 



Finrays, D. 12.0; P. 14; V. 9; A. 9; C. 19f. 



They are occasionally found in Lake Ontario during the whole year ; but as the same 

 instinct which compels ihem to ascend rivers, also leads them again to the sea, and as there 

 is no barrier opposed to their return, we may presume that these are sickly or possibly barren 

 individuals. 



The geographical range of the Sea Salmon, along the Atlantic coast of America, extends 

 from New-York to Labrador. 



{EXTRA-LIMITAL.) 



S. scouleri. (Richardson, Vol. 3, p. 158, pi. 93.) Back anterior to the dorsal fin, gibbous. Jaws 



elono-ated ; the upper jaw much incurved and arched. Length two feet. N. W. Coast. 

 S. rossii. (Id. p. 163, pi. 80.) Long cylindrical. Red beneath; bro\vnish above, with a few crimson 



dots along the course of the lateral line. Length 2-3 feet. Arctic Seas. 

 S. hearnii. (Id. p. 1G7.) Olive green above. Belly bluish; several rows of large red spots on the 



sides. Length 12 inches. Coppermine River. 

 S. alipes. (Id. p. 169, pi. 81.) Slender. Greyish, with lighter spots. Scales small. Teeth only on 



anterior part of the vomer. Fins remarkably long. Length two feet. Arctic Regions. 

 S. nitidus. (Id. p. 171, pi- 82.) Deep green above ; orange red beneath, with small red spots in two or 



three series alon"- the course of the lateral line. Length 20 inches. Arctic Regions. 

 S. hoodii. (Id. p. 173, pi- 83.) Olive green above, and covered with numerous yellowish grey spots. 



Form slender cylindrical. Length two feet. Northern Regions. 

 S. mackenzii. (Id. p. 183, pi. 84.) Head long, compressed, flattened above. Greyish, tinged with blue 



on the sides and btneath. Length 20 inches. Arctic Sea. 

 S. quinnat. (Id. p. 219.) Bluish grey; dark spots along the lateral line; belly white, unspotted. 



Branchial rays seventeen. Length 2-3 feet. Columbia River. 



