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their death is obscure, it being hardly possible that the explanation offered as to 
some of the smaller lakes of New York State—the use of explosives for wholesale — 
killing of food-fish—is the true one. a 
The shad (C. sapidissima) is undoubtedly one of the most important of Am= — 
erican food fishes. 1t used to be abundant in the Lower Ottawa, but the pollution — 
of the river, by sawdust ete., appears to have rendered its former spawning grounds 
unavailable. Its spawning habits resemble those of the Alewife; the eggs are spun 
out by the female on to a sandy bar while in rapid motion, and the male scatters — 
the milt at the same time, both sinking slowly to the bottom. Three to eight days 
suffice for hatching, after which the young escape and are able to swim freely. 
A ripe shad contains from twenty to forty thousand eggs. The males are smaller 
(13-6 lb.) than the females (34-8) and are earlier mature. The same apparent. 
local instinct is said to be exhibited by the shad as by the salmon ; the young 
hatched in any particular stream returning to it after an interval of two to three 
years when adult. It is possible that this is to be interpreted by their not going 
far from the mouths of the rivers i which they have been bred. 
Allied to the shad is a fish of similar form recently introduced into Lake 
Ontario and Erie, but of no value economically. It is known as the Gizzard- 
shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) on account of its muscular stomach and is further 
distinguished by the last ray of the dorsal being produced into a long thread. It — 
has occasionally been found dead at the surface in considerable numbers. | 
By far the most important family of the fresh-water Teleosts, as regards 
economical value and the number of species, is undoubtedly that of the SALMONIDA. 
Like the foregoing, many of the members are anadromous, living a part of their 
life in the sea but ascending rivers to spawn. Other forms which are confined to 
large bodies of fresh water often congregate about the mouths of the rivers fall- 
ing into them or ascend these for the same purpose. The Capelin (Mallotus 
villosus) and Smelt (Osmerus eperlanus) are exclusively marine forms; the Salmon 
and Trout are found in both salt and fresh water, while the Whitefish, Grayling 
and Lake Trout are confined to inland waters. 
In all of the forms that concernus here, the intestine is furnished with 
numerous pyloric ececa, which serve to increase its surface. Unlike the shad the 
abdomen is rounded, and there is present an adipose fin. The Whitefish 
(Coregonus) are distinguished by an entire absence of teeth, and by the large 
size of the scales. Of the toothed genera, the Grayling (Thymallus) is at once char- 
acterized by its long and high dorsal fin, while the Salmon (Salmo) and Brook 
and Lake Trout (Salvelinus) agree in having teeth on the jaws and tongue, but 
differ in that the vomer in the latter genus is destitute of teeth. 
The genus Coregonus is not confined to North America but isalso found in — 
large inland waters—such for example as the Swiss Lakes—in Europe and Asia. 
The species are somewhat difficult to distinguish, innumerable local varieties 
being recognized by fishermen, which probably do not deserve to rank as distinct 
species. The body is compressed in all and the air-bladder very large, the 
pyloric cceca very numerous, and the eggs numerous and of small size. 
Six species occur within the Province, which may be arranged iu two groups 
according as the lower jaw is included within or projects beyond the upper. To the 
former belongs the common Whitefish (C. clupeiformis), and with it C. quadrila- 
teralis, C. labradoricus and C. hoy, while to the latter belong the Lake Herring 
(C. artedv) and the Tullibee of Manitoba, (C. tullvbee). . 
