21 



and a spiny opercule; two dorsal fins, the first with spiny rays, 

 the second with soft rays. Vent posterior. 



This genus was very badly defined by Linneus, Shaw, Bloch, 

 and Mitchell; the above characters are now precise and apply 

 to all the species that ought to -remain in it, answering to the 

 genus of Laccpede and the subgenus of Cuvier, bearing the same 

 name. All the species belonging to it are voracious and prey 

 on smaller fishes. There are only few species in the Ohio, 

 which afford an excellent food. 



1st Species. Salmon Perch. Perca Salmonca. Perche Sau- 

 monec. 



Jaws nearly equal, one spine on the opercule and another at 

 the base of the pectoral fins: body lengthened, breadth one ninth 

 of the length, brownish above, with gilt shades, white beneath 

 first dorsal fin with fourteen rays, second with twenty, tail fork 

 ed, all the fins spotted; lateral line diagonal and slightly curved. 



A fine fish, from one to three feet long; it is one of the best 

 afforded by the Ohio, its flesh is esteemed a delicacy, being 

 White, tender, and well flavoured, whence the name of Salmon 

 was given to it, and its shape which is nearly cylindrical and 

 slightly compressed, with the head and jaws somewhat similar 

 to those of the Salmons, has induced many to consider it a real 

 Salmon, although its fins and gill covers are quite different. It 

 has received the vulgar names of Salmon, Wliite Salmon, and 

 Ohio Salmon. It is not a common fish, but is occasionally 

 taught all over the Ohio and in the Kentucky, Licking, Wa- 

 bash, and Miami rivers during the spring and summer; it ap- 

 pears at Pittsburgh soraetimes as early as February, while it win- 

 ters in deep waters". It feeds on Chubs, Minnows, Suckers, 

 &c. It is not often caught with the hook, but easily taken with 

 the gig and seine. It has the back and sides gilt by patches, 

 the head variegated with small gilt spots above and quite white 

 beneath. The eyes are large, prominent and brown, situated 

 above the corners of the mouth and surrounded with a gilt 

 brown iris. The two dorsal fins are widely apart, the first ray 

 of the first dorsal fin is short, the second dorsal fin is slightly fal- 

 cate, they are both yellow as well as the tail and with brown 

 spots. th« ether fins are pale yellowish with only a few brow* 



C 



