68 BULLETIN 792, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
WHITEFISH. 
Whitefish form one of the most important groups of fresh-water 
fishes of America. The common whitefish is the most valued of the 
tribe, although the others are highly esteemed as a food. It is found 
in the Great Lakes region and is known as ‘humpback,’ ‘bowback,’ 
and ‘highback’ whitefish; also as ‘Otsego bass’ in the neighborhood 
of Otsego Lake, New York. It is caught chiefly in gill nets, and 
averages less than 4 pounds in weight. Other economic species are 
the Rocky Mountain whitefish, the Menominee whitefish, also locally 
known as ‘round whitefish,’ ‘frostfish,’ “shadwater,’ ‘pilot fish,’ ‘chivey,’ 
‘blackback,’ etc. The whitefishes belong to the salmon family. The 
name is also applied to the bluefish on the Hudson, to the menhaden 
in western Connecticut, to the tilefish in California, and to the beluga 
by whalers.”’ 
On January 1, 1,139,079 pounds of frozen whitefish remained in 
cold storage from the previous season. ‘These stocks declined until 
June 15 and reached the low point of 312,014 pounds. The largest 
stocks were reported on December 15 and amounted to 1,976,681 
pounds. This was 12.6 per cent more than the holdings of December 
1s)5) Ue : 
TABLE 62.—Monthly cold storage holdings of frozen whitefish during 1918, and. increase 
or decrease during each month. 
Holdings Relative 
Month. on fifteenth | percent- Increase or decrease 
Ghimonthe age. during month. 
Pounds. Per cent. Pounds. Per cent. 
AUATIUAT Y=: 2% 5 enemies eee mties es Meneene 2 Te lian . deeea a as ae 1,139,079 57.6 — 426,709 — 37.5 
Hebruany. 2) oe eee it ae a ee Sept ee ey 712,370 36.0 — 315,116 — 44.2 
Miarchi= =i seine Rae ida PR Oa a Se ae 397,254 20.1 + 70,233 + 17.7 
TAN nn es 2 ok ae = a Pome Ae eu TOE ee 467,487 23.7 — 132,459 — 28.3 
Vi easy ere os na eens RAM re Pa Es Oe 335,028 16.9 — 23,014 — 6.9 
Tre te 3 2 SR Pome ic SS ohne heen a ha 312,014 15.8 + 80,630 + 25.8 
UIT IN Sy el are OL ns a «Re aca dee oe 392,644 19.9 +493,742 +125.7 
IAI SUSU S22 Sc een eee MER 08 ah IN Se ee 886,386 44.8 — 116,785 — 13.2 
September's tegatana ee ee 769,601 38.9 +521,439 + 67.8 
October: i eee. EM RT ap RN 2 a 1,291,040 65.3 + 466,085 + 36.1 
INovember=: ieee. Samet! TBR) cS oe 1,757,125 88.9 +219,556 + ae 
December (Sees aes a ys ey ee ae 1,976,681 100.0 — 188,916 
TaBLE 63.—Monthly cold storage holdings of frozen whitefish during 1918 compared 
\ with those of 1917. 
Reported for 1918. Comparison with 1917. 
Month. Holdings | Storages Increase 
Storages reported reporting 1917. 1918. or 
reporting.| on fifteenth | for both decrease. 
of month. dates. 
Number. Pounds Number. Pounds Pounds Per cent. 
January =- 3) See ee ees 70 1,139,079 59 412,639 548,198 +32.9 
February=2) 2 eee ee 79 712,370 61 264,617 357,142 +35.0 
Miarehit 3) Be esee be ee 80 397,254 65 388,290 232,791 — 40.0 
(Aprile = se eee 77 467,487 62 305,970 316,504 + 3.4 
Wanye] See ee a oe 61 335,028 48 172,559 285,527 + 65.5 
June ies ee Pee 51 312,014 39 163,617 243,683 +48.9 
Julyec se ae ee eee 55 392,644 45 Play eilil 299,659 + 9.6 
Auguste). 0 Gee | Peek 57 886,386 48 380,702 538,503 +41.5 
Septemberss522)) Saeeese 54 769,601 43 349,189 392,126 +12.3 
October’ co ween 66 1,291,040 58 1,571,846 1,231,502 — 21.7 
INoyembers:.. 50 ecw 1D 1,757,125 69 2,176,720 1,751,276 —19.5 
December sae so eae 80 1,976,681 79 1,741,026 1,960,225 +12.6 
