22 
bulletin of the bureau of fisheries. 
Fishermen claim that it is found in middle water, not at the surface nor at the bottom. As a food fish 
it is far superior to any other lake herring, being as delicate and rich as the best whitefishes, Corcgonus 
albus and Coregonus clupeajormis. It is therefore a species worthy of careful attention from the propa- 
gators of fishes. Most of the fishermen claim never to have seen examples of 2 or 3 pounds until within 
four or five years. It is locally known as the jumbo herring because it reaches a larger size than any 
other lake herring except the tullibee of the northwestern lakes ( Leucichthys tullibee). 
It is believed by many fishermen that the jumbo herring is the product of a cross between the Erie 
whitefisli ( Coregonus albus) and the lake herring ( Leucichthys arledi). This belief is without founda- 
tion. It rests on the fact that at the Put-in Bay hatchery attempts have been made to fertilize white- 
fish eggs with the milt of the lake herring, in default of the milt of its own species. To test this matter 
Mr. Frank N. Clark, of the hatchery at Northville, Mich., undertook the same experiment under 
carefully prepared conditions. In no case was the egg of a whitefisli fertilized by the milt of the lake 
herring, and the hybridization of the two species is quite improbable. 
Subgenus CISCO Jordan & Evermann, new subgenus. 
Cicso Jordan & Evermann, new subgenus (type, Argyrosomus nigripinnis Gill). 
The depths of the Great Lakes are inhabited by species of Leucichthys, locally known as blackfin, 
bluefin, cisco, longjaw, bloater, kiyi, chub, etc., differing somewhat from any of the shore species of the 
genus. In nearly every favorable locality three forms of these fishes are found, representing the three 
nrincipal species, prognathus (with supernas and johannce), nigripinnis (with cyanopterus), and hoyi 
(with zenithicus). These fishes are much softer in flesh and more delicate than the ordinary lake 
herring. They spawn earlier, in summer, and are rarely taken in water of less than 60 fathoms. None 
has been found in Georgian Bay or Lake Erie. They inhabit the western part of Lake Ontario, the 
northwestern part of Lake Huron, the whole length of Lake Michigan, and the middle southern part of 
Lake Superior. 
Leucichthys supernas Jordan & Evermann, new species. Cisco of Lake Superior. 
Type, no. 64679, U. S. National Museum, a specimen about 11 inches long, from Lake Superior off the mouth of 
Knife River, near Duluth; coll., Doctor Jordan. 
Habitat: Deep waters of Lake Superior. 
The cisco, as it is called about Lake Superior, is a fine silvery species, found in waters of 50 fathoms 
or more, and is regarded as an excellent food fish. It is near Leucichthys prognathus and L. johannce 
Fig. 12 . — Leucichthys supernas Jordan & Evermann, new species. Cisco of Lake Superior. 
(Drawn from the type, a specimen. 11.5 inches long, collected in Knife River, Lake 
Superior, off Duluth, Minn.) 
but is a better food fish than these, is of firmer flesh, and reaches a larger size. It also approaches 
somewhat Leucichthys harengus of the shore waters of the same region. 
Leucichthys supernas is especially characteristic of the waters to the west qf the Keweenaw' penin- 
sula, where it is found in company with the bluefin, Leucichthys cyanopterus, and the longjaw, Leucichthys 
zenithicus, and also the siscowet, which preys on all three. The bluefin is a still better fish, reaching a 
larger size, while the longjaw is inferior and much less fat 
