494 



BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



of these characters are given in Tables 8 to 11, and in Table 71, 10 small specimens 

 under 200 millimeters in length are compared extensively. 



Pv/P: 



Large fish, (1.7) 2-2.2 (2.6). 

 Small fish, (1.7) 1.9-2.1 (2.3). 

 Av/V: 



Large fish, (1.4) 1.6-1.8 (2.1). 

 Small fish, (1.3) 1.6-1.7 (1.9). 

 L/D: 



Large fish, (3.5) 4-4.7 (5.4). 

 Small fish, (3.6) 4.2-4.9 (5.8). 



L/H: 



Large fish, (4) 4.3-4.6 (5). 

 Small fish, (4) 4.2-4.5 (4.8). 

 H/E: 



Large fish, (3.7) 3.9-4.3 (5.1). 

 Small fish, (3.6) 3.8-4 (4.3). 

 H/M: 



Large fish, (2.6) 2.8-3 (3.3). 

 ' Small fish, (2.5) 2.7-2.9 (3.2). 

 H/S: 



Large fish, (3.5) 3.7-4 (4.3). 

 Small fish, (3.3) 3.6-3.9 (4.2). 



Thus, small herring seem to have proportionally a somewhat larger head, eye, 

 maxillary, snout, and possibly paired fins, and less depth than large fish of the same 

 species. 



Individuals as small as 160 millimeters have been found to be sexually mature, 

 and a few have also been found immature at 200 millimeters, but usually specimens, 

 over 170 millimeters have exhibited maturing gonads. A closer relation, of course,, 

 will be found between age and maturity. 



COMPARISONS 



Artedi resembles closely only nigripinnis. Juvenile examples, however, might 

 be confused with hoyi. A discussion of the differences between artedi and the other 

 species of Leucichthys occurring in Lake Huron is given under this heading in the 

 accounts of the various species. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION 



Herring occur in schools, and these are found out of virtually every port on 

 Lake Huron, in the North Channel, and Georgian Bay. No commercial fishing 

 operations whatever are conducted for herring from many of the fishing ports, and 

 from but few are the operations carried on extensively; but whether fished for or 

 not, the herring schools can not escape observation entirely. Some individuals 

 always become entangled in the gill and pound nets set for whitefish and trout, while 

 schools frequently enter harbors, where they may be captured by hand lines, or are 

 encountered in the open lake. On the Canadian shore very few herring are taken 

 for market. The catch of herring on the American shore is greatest in Saginaw Bay, 

 while the region from Thunder Bay to Middle Island ranks second. The rest of the 

 ports take the fish in relatively insignificant quantities. I have collected specimens 

 from nearly every port visited. The data for these are given in Table 70 and are 

 platted in Figure 5. 



METHODS OF CAPTURE 



Herring are caught both in pound and gill nets. They follow the leads of the 

 pound nets readily, even though the mesh of these leads is so coarse that they could 

 swim through them easily. I have seen them time and again swimming about in the 

 pots of the whitefish pounds, the mesh of which is coarse enough to permit them to 



