556 



BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



are employed. Dymond (1926) says pilot usually are found at depths of less than 

 40 feet and that they prefer the shallow northern bays and the mouth of rivers. 



Prosopium quadrilaterale of Lake Ontario 



Only six specimens, ranging in length between 213 and 361 millimeters, have 

 been seen from Lake Ontario, and these do not differ from those of other lakes. 

 The gill rakers in five number 17, in one 18; the lateral-line scales range between 86 

 and 93; L/H values range between 4.9 and 5.5; H/E, between 4 and 4.8; Pv/P, 

 between 1.7 and 2; and Av/V, between 2.2 and 2.4. The smallest example shows 

 several distinct "parr marks " on the caudal peduncle. 



The maximum size reported for the lake is about 4 pounds. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION 



Few pilot are caught for the market, and virtually all of these are taken from 

 ports on the north shore of the lake. At Port Hope and Coburg, Ontario, the species 

 formerly was and still is abundant, according to T. J. McMahon, and at Brighton, 

 Ontario, Harry and W. A. Quick say it is found in commercial numbers. D. M. 

 Wheeler, of Wilson, N. Y., says that pilot were common in the early days off Brad- 

 docks Point, a report recently confirmed by H. A. Donovan, of Charlotte, N. Y. 

 At Bronte and Burlington, Ontario, and Wilson, Sodus Point, and Selkirk, N. Y., 

 a few specimens are taken occasionally, so that every fisherman is acquainted with 

 the appearance of the species. A specimen was seen at Port Hope, Ontario, on 

 November 23, 1917; two were collected at Winona, Ontario, on November 23, 1917; 

 two at Brighton, Ontario, on June 6 and 18, 1922; one at Sandy Pond, N. Y., on 

 August 24, 1923; and one was obtained from the collection of the University of 

 Toronto. 



SEASONAL MOVEMENTS 



On account of the commercial insignificance of the pilot the fishermen know 

 little about its habits. The Quick brothers, of Brighton, say that the fish travel 

 in schools and that these schools are very erratic in their movements, so that netters 

 have difficulty in following them. They are on the beaches during the winter and 

 up to June, according to Messrs. Quick, and thereafter they occur at depths of 6 to 

 16 fathoms, where they are caught occasionally in the whitefish nets. At Wilson 

 stray individuals are caught at times in the 3-inch herring nets, which are set in 

 spring and fall in 50 to 75 feet. 



No data are at hand on the breeding habits of the species. 



