Cope] ^^^' [June 7, 



is here given for the liotes on tlieir habits and places of abode, appended. 

 Interest attaches to the fact that tlie greater part of tlie fishes are derived 

 from tlie fresh waters of that State, and that species of this genus, hke 

 those of the other Salmonoid genera, Coregonus and Salmo, are proven to 

 have a lacnstrine distribution in the northern part of the United States. 



Land-locked Osraeri occur in the lakes of Norway. According to Pro- 

 fessor Esmark of Christiana, they are found in Lake Mjosen, which is 500 

 feet above the sea, and discharges into it by a stream whicli has a very 

 high fall; also in Nors Vandsjo, near the town of Moss, and in the Stink- 

 sild. 



I find three species among our lake smelt, as follows: 



Eye large, one-third length of head; head short, 4.25 times in length; 

 scales, 1. long. 66; 1. transv. 10. o. spectrum. 



Eye smaller, 4.5 times in head; head shorter, 4.75 in total; scales 

 smaller, 1. long. 68; 1. transv. 16. o, abbottii. 



j^ye 4 — 4.25; head 4, longer; scales, 1. long. 65-7; 1. transv. 13 (14). 



O. VIRIDESCKNS. 



Osmerus spectrum, Cope. 



Species nova; smelt of Wilton. 



Established on two specimens sent from the above locality in Franklin 

 Co., Maine. Form slender, the head short, with remarkably large eye, 

 and short mouth and maxillary bones. Mandible prominent when closed, 

 as in O. viridescens, the end of the maxillary bone not extending beyond 

 the line of the middle of the pupil. Both the length of the muzzle and 

 the interorbital width are considerably less than the diameter of the orbit. 

 The form of the body is more slender than in the 0. viridescens, the depth 

 entering the length without caudal fin, 8.33 times. Kadii D. 10. A. 1. 15. 

 V. 8. The pectorals extend f the distance to the base of the ventrals. 

 Length of a medium sized specimen, 3 in. 6 lin. Scales in about as many 

 transverse, but several fewer longitudinal series than in the other species. 



Color probably translucent in life, a silver band along the upper part of 

 the sides. Side of head and operculum silver. Top of head, middle dor- 

 sal line and caudal fin so thickly punctate with black as to be colored. 



Wilton Pond is near the head of the south-west branch of the Kennebec 

 River in S. W. Maine. The characteristics of this species, according to 

 Commissioner Atkins, are seen in specimens of larger size than those here 

 described, which were taken in breeding condition. 



Osmerus ahbottii. Cope. 



Species nova. 



This fish is in general characters more like the O. viridescens than the 

 last; it is similar in the size of the orbit and posterior prolongation of the 

 maxillary bone, but the scales are more numerous and the head is shorter. 

 Like the last, it is considerably smaller than the common smelt. 



The depth enters the length without caudal fin, seven times ; the head 

 the same, 4.75 times. The orbit is less than the length of the muzzle, 

 and scarcely equal to the interorbital Avidth. The maxillary is delicately 



