EEPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHES IN THE U. S. 

 NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1885. 



By Tarleton H. Bean, Curator. 



PRESENT STATE OF THE COLLECTION. 



The number of specimens added to this Department during the 

 interval covered by this report is about 1,000. The present census of 

 the collection is as follows : 



Specimens. 



In reserve series 36, 400' 



On exhibition 20,400 



Duplicates 12,200 



Total 69,000 



IMPORTANT ACCESSIONS, 



The most noteworthy additions to the collection of fishes during the 

 six months ending June 30, 1885, are from the following sources: 



(1) SPECIES OP INTEREST TO FISH-CULTURISTS, OBTAINED THROUGH THE U. S. FISH 



COMMISSION. 



A whiteflsh {Coregonus albnla, L.) has been introduced into the Uni- 

 ted States recently. Specimens in alcohol were received from Max von 

 dem Borne, May 28, 1885 (catalogue numbers 37201, 37202). This is a. 

 small species of the " lake herring" (0. artedi) type, and is native to the 

 north of continental Europe. Yon dem Borne's are from Lakes Telen- 

 der and Baland, in Prussia. Coregonus alhula is distinguished from C. 

 artedi by its smaller number of gill-rakers (39) and longer dorsal and 

 anal rays. The scale formula is about the same in both. The head of 

 C. alhula is comparatively shorter than in C. artedi. The two species 

 will certainly be confounded if taken in the same waters, but the char- 

 acters above mentioned will aid in their separation. 



Mr. Frank N. Clark, of the U. S. Eish Commission, sent some speci- 

 mens of the common whiteflsh {Coregonus clupeiformis), which he reared 

 from eggs in the U. S. Hatchery at Korthville, Mich, (catalogue num- 

 bers 37180, 37181). There are three individuals one year old, and 

 two aged two years ; all of these were fed in ponds and are in thrifty 

 condition. The feasibility of pond-rearing for the whiteflsh is a decided 



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