1 -NOTES ON TWO HITHERTO UNRECOGNIZED SPECIES OF AMERICAN 
WHITEFISHES. 
By HUGH M. SMITH, M. D. 
There are seven described species of whitefish whose range embraces the basin of 
the Great Lakes and which are more or less abundantly represented in the lakes 
and streams of that region. These are the common whitefish {Coregonus clupeiformis), 
the lake herring or cisco [C. artedi), the blackfin or blneliu whitefish (0. nigrijminis), 
tlie tullibee or mongrel whitefish (C. tidlihee), the Mnsquaw Eiver or Labrador whitefish 
{C lahradoricus), the menominee or round whitefish {C. quadrilateralis), and Hoy’s 
whitefish or the moon-eye {G. hogi). Concerning the habits, movements, etc., of the 
first two of these we have a fairly satisfactory knowledge, chiefly because of their 
economic value, although tliere is yet much to be learned; but the published informa- 
tion regarding the five remaining species is exceedingly limited and consists largely 
of such observations as were recorded at the time the fish were first brought to public 
attention. 
This deficiency of information is due to the comparatively slight commercial 
imjiortance of most of the fishes, to the small size of one, to the relative rarity of several, 
and to the habit of two or three of frequenting the deepest water of the lakes where 
they are least accessible to the fisherman and the naturalist; but the deficiency is 
principally owing to the absence of biological surveys of the lake region and of 
systematic fieldwork. 
In 1891, while visiting the American shore of Lake Ontario in the interests of 
the U. S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries, my attention was especially called to a 
whitefish abounding throughout the lake and having considerable commercial value 
in idaceSo which was well known to fishermen and residents along the lake shore and 
designated by special names, but which did not appear to have received the notice of 
icljuthyologists and was apparently different from any of the described whitefishes 
inhabiting this lake. Full notes were taken regarding its abundance, liabits, size, and 
economic importance, but no means were available for preserving specimens, without 
which a satisfactory determination of the identity of the fish would have been 
impossible. The following year a good working series of fresh specimens was sent 
me from two localities in Hew York and the study of the fish was resumed, with the 
valuable collections in the II. S. Hational Museum at hand for comparison. The 
examination of the whitefishes in that institution has led to the conclusion that the 
specimens in question from Lake Ontario represent an unrecognized species, and has 
1 
r. C. B. 1894 1 
