394 FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [8] 



wliite -fish of tlie Great Lake region, G. clupeiformis. In the Yukon this 

 species is said to reach the weight of 30 pounds ; it is, in all probability, 

 the "broad white-fish" of Mr. Dall,* which, he says, "is usually very fat 

 and excellent eating. It abounds in both winter and summer, spawning 

 in September in the small rivers falling into the Yukon." The species for 

 which Miluer proposed the name G. Jcennicottii is similar to the last in 

 most respects; it grows to a large size and is a valuable food-fish. 

 There are two other white-fish whose size is comparatively small, but 

 they are abundant and very important as food; these are G. laurettce 

 and G. quadrilateralis, the former being especially plentiful in Arctic 

 Alaska, while the latter ranges farther to the south and east. These 

 two are about equal in size, neither of them exceeding 16 inches in 

 length and 4 inches in depth. In shape and proportions G. laurettce 

 resembles the common G. artedi of the Great Lake region. It is worthy 

 of mention that the G. quadrilateralis of Alaska shows considerable dif- 

 ferences from that which we know as quadrilateralis in New England 

 and in the eastern portion of its habitat generally. The " humpback 

 white-fish " is not identical with G. syrolc C. & V., to which it bears 

 a close resemblance. It is not valued as food for man, but is used for 

 dogs. The smallest of the white-fish, and the least valuable, is the 

 " Nulatoski ciga " of the Eussians, a species closely allied to, if not 

 identical with, G. merMi Gimther. Mr. Dall speaks of it as " a small, 

 thin, bony species common near Nulato, on the Yukon, and * * * 

 rarely more than half a pound in weight. It is of little use as food and 

 is principally abundant in summer." Capt. C. L. Hooper obtained 

 numerous examples of this small species from Eskimo in Kotzebue 

 Sound during the summer of 1880. In this region and farther to the 

 northward Eskimo carry great numbers of these little fish on their voy- 

 ages, notwithstanding their poor quality. By far the finest of all white 

 fish is the "Inconnu" (Stenodus maclcenzii Rich.), which is known to 

 reach 4 feet in length and 50 pounds in weight. Both Mr. Dall and 

 Mr. Nelson have seen examples of this size. Mr. Dall has written con- 

 cerning it as follows: "This enormous white-fish is the finest of its 

 tribe both in size and flavor. It is found in the rivers most of the year, 

 but is most plentifully obtained and is in its best condition about the 

 months of June and July. * * * It is full of spawn from Septem- 

 ber to January, when it disappears."* 



Another important species of the Goregonidce is the grayling or blanket- 

 fish (Thymallus signifer Rich.). This is the most beautiful of all the 

 grayling, and is moderately valuable as a food-fish. Mr. Dall has men- 

 tioned it as the only fish in the Yukon territory which will take the 

 hook. Mr. Nelson secured a number of very fine specimens of this 

 grayling. It frequents the small, rapid rivers and is especially abun- 

 dant in the spring.t 



*Rep. Comm. Agric, 1870, p. 386. 

 t Dall, op. tit., p. 387. 



