508 



BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OP FISHERIES 



two types of Ontario are discussed further under the section "Variations." The 

 various characters of systematic value are compared below: 

 Gill rakers on the first branchial arch : 



H/S: 



Erie, (3.6) 3.8-4 (4.5). 

 Ontario, (3.4) 3.7-4 (4.5). 

 Pv/P: 



Erie, (1.6) 1.9-2.1 (2.5). 

 Ontario, (1.7) 1.9-2.1 (2.5). 

 Av/V: 



Erie, (1.4) 1.6-1.8 (2.1). 

 Ontario, (1.3) 1.5-1.8 (2). 

 L/D: 



Erie, (2.8) 3.3-3.7 (4.8). 

 Ontario, (2.9) 3.6-4.3 (5). 



Erie, (41) 44-48 (53). 61 



Ontario, (41) 46-50 (54) .« 2 

 Scales in the lateral line: 



Erie, (64) 71-81 (89). 



Ontario, (66) 73-82 (89). 

 L/H: 



Erie, (4.1) 4.3-4.7 (5.2). 

 Ontario, (3.7) 4.3-4.7 (5). 

 H/E: 



Erie, (3.8) 4.2-4.5 (4.9). 

 Ontario, (3.9) 4.1-4.4 (4.9). 

 H/M: 



Erie, (2.5) 2.7-2.9 (3.3). 

 Ontario, (2.5) 2.7-2.9 (3.3). 



It appears from the foregoing that the composite collections have similar char- 

 acters. Only the body- depth ratio appears to be different in the two forms, Erie 

 fish averaging deeper. 



The color in life is, in general, like that of the Erie form. The deep-water indi- 

 viduals average paler than those from shallow water, even though they may, in other 

 respects, be exactly like them, and often show pinkish bases to the fins, especially the 

 abdominal ones. It is possible that the presence of the pinkish color is due to conges- 

 tion caused by the constriction of the net threads. The shoal form is colored about 

 like the Erie blueback. 



The males and at least some females develop pearl organs in the breeding season. 

 Specimens collected off Bronte, Ontario, on November 23, 1917, show pearls that 

 differ in development in no material way from those described for the typical form. 



VARIATIONS 



Racial variations. — There are two more or less distinct types of herring in Lake 

 Ontario, as in Lake Erie. While in Lake Erie the slender blue-backed type is compar- 

 atively rare and the herring population is constituted primarily of deep, somewhat 

 compressed individuals, the reverse is the case in Lake Ontario, except that the deep 

 form is much more abundant, relatively, than the Erie blueback. The most typical 

 specimens of this deep-water variety have been taken on the spawning grounds of the 

 west shore of the lake (records 1 and 2). The most typical specimens of the shoal 

 type are those from Wellers Bay and South Bay (records 5 and 7). The rest are 

 more or less intermediate. This deep-water form has a deeper, somewhat more com- 

 pressed body and averages paler in color than the herring from the shoals, but a com- 

 parison of other characters shows no important differences. Its appearance, therefore, 

 is quite like that of the typical alius of Erie. The other herring of the lake are about 



81 These figures for Lake Erie are based on an examination of 313 specimens ranging in length from 128 to 402 millimeters. Those 

 for scales are based on 750 specimens of the same size range, but figures for proportions are based only on 163 of the specimens 225 

 millimeters or more long. 



62 These figures for Lake Ontario are based on an examination of 254 specimens ranging in length from 155 to 366 millimeters. 

 Those for scales are given for 266 specimens of the same size range. All other figures are based on an examination of 205 individuals 

 ranging in length from 225 to 366 millimeters. 



