THE LESSEE WHITE-PISHES. 541 



169. THE LESSEE, WHITE-FISHES, 



By David S. Joedan. 



The Musqtjaw Eivbr "White-pish — Coeegonus labeadoeious. 



The uame "Whiting" is said by Prescott to be applied to this fish in New Hampshire. It 

 occurs throughout the lakes of Northern New England and Northern New York, and in the Great 

 Lakes. It is, however, not generally abundant except in the Great Lakes. It attains a smaller 

 size than the White-fish, those seen by us rarely weighing more than a pound. 



The Moon-eye oe Cisco — OoEEaoNxrs Hoyi. 



The Moon-eye or "Cisco" of Lake Michigan has thus far been noticed only in Lakes Michigan, 

 Erie, and Ontario. It is. the smallest of our White-fish, rarely weighing over half a pound, and 

 it is seldom taken in shallow water. It has, from its small size and rare occurrence, little economic 

 value. Nothing distinctive is known of its food or breeding habits. 



The Lake Heeeing — Coeegonus Aetedi. 



This species i^ almost universally known as the "Lake Herring." The name "Cisco" is also 

 often applied to it, especially about the smaller lakes, and in many regions also the name "Michi- 

 gan Herring." The Lake Herring is one of the most abundant fishes of the Great Lake region, 

 probably second only to the White-fish in importance as a food-fish. It goes in large schools, and 

 is taken in great numbers in comparatively shallow waters. It occurs also in the lakes of British 

 America, and probably in Northern New England and New York. Its usual length is little niore 

 than a foot. Its mouth is much larger than that of the White-fish, and its range of food is doubt- 

 less greater. It spawns in November and December, coming into shallow water for the purpose. 

 It exists in most of the small lakes of Northern Indiana and Eastern Wisconsin (Tippecanoe, 

 Geneva, Oconomowoc, etc.), where it is known as the " Cisco." In these lakes it usually remains 

 in deep water until the spawning season, when great numbers come near shore to spawn. As a 

 food-fish the Lake Herring ranks high, although considerably inferior to the White-fish. 



The Bltje-fin — Coeegonus nigeipinnis. 



This species is known as the "Blue-fin" or "Black- fin," It has thus far been taken only in 

 the deeper waters of Lake Michigan. At times it comes in considerable numbers to the Chicago 

 market, but it is in general a rare species. It reaches a much larger size than the Lake Herring, 

 which species it very closely resembles. Nothing distinctive is known of its food or breeding 

 habits. 



The Mongrel White-pish — Coeegonus tullibee. 



This species is occasionally taken in the Upper Great Lakes, wh"ere it is generally considered 

 a hybrid between a White-fish and a Lake Herring, hence the name of "Mongrel White-fish." It 

 is a rare fish in collections, and nothing distinctive is known of its habits. Its range is probably 

 to the northward. 



The Menomonee White-pish — Coeegonus quadeilatbealis. 



The only name which I have heard applied to this fish is that of " Menomonee White-fish." The 

 name of "Kound-fish" is given to it by Eichardson, and that of "Shad Waiter" (Winnipiseogee 

 Lake) by Prescott. It is found in the lakes of New Hampshire, Northern New York, the Great 

 Lakes, and northward to the Arctic Seas. In the Great Lakes it is much less abundant than the 



