496 AMERICAN FISHES. 
According to Drs. Evermann and Smith, “in Lake Ontario it is com- 
monly called the Cisco. The etymology of the word is in dispute. One 
assigned derivation is from a fish-peddler named Cisco, who, about 1830, 
took the fish through the northern part of the State and sold it to farmers 
as ‘Cisco’s herring.” ‘Sisco’ is only a recent variation in the orthog- 
raphy.” We would not advise that this etymology should be accepted 
without much scepticism. The word is so much like Siscowet that an 
Indian etymon is more probable. 
“Tn all the Great Lakes the Lake Herring, or Cisco, is more abundant 
than any other Whitefish. It is taken in enormous quantities each year, 
and in most of the lakes is the object of a special fishery. Considering 
the entire basin, the quantity of Lake Herring taken is greater than that 
of all other White-fishes combined, but in value of catch and in food value it 
does not equal the Common White-fish. 
THE BLACK-FIN WHITEFISH. 
“Mr. John W. Titcomb says this species is quite common in several of 
the small lakes of Vermont, particularly Bomoseen Lake in Rutland County. 
In October and November, they appear in large schools close to the rocky 
shores of the lake for the purpose of spawning. 
“This species is abundant in Lake Ontario ; its most important spawning- 
grounds are in the east end of the lake, in Chaumont Bay, Three-mile 
Bay, and about Grenadier, Stony, and Fox islands. Farther west spawn- 
ing-grounds are found along the shores and bays, more especially in Great 
Sodus Bay. On the Canadian side important grounds seem to be in the 
Bay of Quinte. The spawning-beds are usually in shallow water on hard 
