470 
Qenus COREGONUS 
VEETEBRATA. 
THE GWTNIAD. 
Coregonus^ includes the Gwyniad, C. fera, a lake fish of Northern 
Europe, ten to twelve inches long ; it is 
gregarious, and approaches the shores 
in vast shoals in spring and summer, 
a hundred being often taken at a draft. 
They are called Fresh-Water Herring^ 
and being cheap, are eaten by the 
poorer classes, though they are insipid. 
Many are preserved by salting. 
The Attihavv^meg or White Fish, 
O. albus^ resembles the Gwyniad and 
Yendace of Europe, but greatly sur- 
passes them, being probably the most delicious of all known purely fresh-water fishes. Richard- 
son says one may live upon it for years without tiring. Its average weight is three or four 
pounds, but it sometimes reaches twenty pounds. It is found in Chatauque Lake in Western New 
York, in Erie, and Huron, the finest in the latter. Here, indeed, it is chiefly taken, though it 
exists in the waters of the Northwestern British territories. It ascends the rivers connected with 
the lakes to spawn, in October. It feeds on shell-fish, small fishes, and insects, and is occasion- 
ally taken with the hook. It comes both fresh and salted to the New York market. 
The Otsego Bass, C. Otsego, is one to two feet long, and is exceedingly beautiful, and of ex- 
quisite flavor ; it is only found in Otsego 
Lake, and appears to be daily diminishing. 
The Vendace, C. Willughbii, is a 
small fish, of delicate flavor, seven inches 
long, taken with nets in some of the Scot- 
tish lakes. In flavor it resembles the 
smelt. It spawns in November, when it 
congregates in vast shoals, making a noise 
like that of the herrings as they rise and 
fall to and from the surface. It is be- 
lieved in Scotland that this fish was introduced there from the Continent, by Queen Mary. 
THE GALIXIID^. 
This family, established by Miiller, contains the single genus Gahxxias^ placed by Cuvier with 
the Esocidce : they agree with the salmons in their general structure; the opening of the mouth 
is small, with middle-sized teeth in both jaws ; there are also a few stray crooked teeth on the 
tongue. The position of the dorsal and anal fins, and also the digestive organs, are like those 
of the pikes. 
THE ESOCIDJE. 
In this family, which comprises the Pikes, the biting edge of the upper jaw is formed as in 
the Salmonidce, by both the maxillary and intermaxillary bones ; the mouth is furnished with a 
most formidable apparatus of teeth, almost all the bones which assist in the formation of that 
cavity being thus arme'd. All the known fishes of this family inhabit fresh water, and only occur 
in temperate climates. They are of an elongated form, clothed with cycloid scales, and furnished 
with powerful fins, their whole conformation being eminently adapted for that rapid motion 
through their native element, without which their voracious propensities would stand but a poor 
chance of gratification. The only fish now placed in this family are the true Pikes, and a few 
small fishes forming the genus Umbra, of which one species is found in the rivers of Austria. 
Genus ESOX : Esox, includes the CoMMOisr Pike or Pickerel of Europe, E. lucius ; it is 
strong, fierce, and active, swims rapidly, and occasionally darts along with the swiftness of an 
arrow. The spawn is deposited among weeds in March, or early in April, and at this season 
the spawning fish will be found in warm creeks or ditches connected with the larger waters 
which they generally inhabit. It is common in the principal lakes and rivers of Europe, and is 
THE VENDACB. 
