SALMONOID FISHES OF THE GREAT LAKES. 
21 
The jumbo herring has been confounded with the tullibee, with which it has nothing in common 
save the robust form. The name “mongrel whitefish” belongs to eriensis , not to the tullibee. The 
nearest relative of L. eriensis is L. arfedi, from which it differs in the much more robust form, deeper 
nape, smaller head, and firmer scales. 
The following is the original account : 
Head 4.4 in length, measured to base of caudal; depth 3.4; depth of caudal peduncle 2.2 in head; 
eye 5.2; snout 3.75; interorbital space 3.25; length of maxillary from tip of snout 3; dorsal 10; anal 
12; scales in lateral line 71 ; between lateral line and origin of dorsal 8; between occiput and dorsal 32. 
Body very deep, its width contained 1.4 times in head; dorsal outline curved abruptly upward 
behind occiput; dorsal contour of head straight; snout pointed, though rather blunt at tip; jaw r s about 
equal, the lower closing just beneath the upper at tip; maxillary extending to a point beneath anterior 
edge of pupil, the supplemental part about 3 times as long as wide. Gillrakers on first arch 16+29, 
very slender, the longest equal in length to diameter of orbit. Scales firmly attached. Dorsal inserted 
about midway between tip of snout and base of caudal, the highest (first) ray contained 1.5 times in 
length of head; height of adipose dorsal equal to 1.5 times the length of its base; height of anal con- 
tained 2 times in length of head; outline of both dorsal and anal slightly concave; origin of ventral 
below anterior part of dorsal, length of fin contained 1.5 in head; pectoral 1.4 in head. 
Fig. 11. — Leucichthys eriensis (Jordan & Evermann). Lake Erie Herring; Jumbo Herring. Fromthetype. 
Color in spirits silvery, dusky on upper parts, but without blue shades in life; distal portion of 
dorsal, outer part of caudal, and edge and tip of pectoral dusky; other fins white. 
Type (no. 62515, U. S. Nat. Mus.) from Lake Erie at Port Stanley, Ontario, measuring 16 % inches 
in length, and collected by the writers. This represents the maximum size of the species as seen by 
us. Its weight when fresh was 2^ pounds. A cotype, 14+f inches long, no. 13083, Stanford University 
collection, obtained at the same time, is a little smaller and slightly darker in color, the anal having a 
terminal dusky cloud. It has 11 dorsal and 11 anal rays. 
This species is very abundant along the northern shore of Lake Erie about the first of August. It 
is also occasionally taken in the southern part of Lake Huron, but it seems to be unknown in Lake 
Superior, and we did not hear of it in Lake Ontario. On the date of our visit to Port Stanley, 
July 29, 1908, about 1,500 pounds were taken in the gill nets. The largest of these weighed 2 pounds 
and w’ere about 18 inches in length. The bulk of the catch was, however, about 14 inches in length. 
It is said of this species that there is a “great spurt,” or large run, in the spring and a short one in the 
autumn before the spawning time in November. 
The jumbo herring was also seen at Port Burwell, where large numbers are smoked, having an 
excellent flavor as thus prepared. Many others from Point Rondeau, Ontario, were seen in the Detroit 
market. 
Leucichthys eriensis is characteristic of the northern part of Lake Erie, although other species, 
Leucichthys artedi, the common lake herring, and Leucichthys sisco huronius are found in the same lake. 
It is said to have been virtually unknown until ten years ago, but is rapidly increasing in abundance. 
