INVESTIGATIO^"S IN THE COLUMBIA KIVER BASIN. 
205 
NOTES ON WILLIAMSON’S WHITEFISH IN BREEDING COLORS, FROM LITTLE 
SPOKANE RIVER, WASHINGTON, AND REMARKS ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF 
THE SPECIES. 
[By Bartou A. Beau, assistant curator, Departmout of Fishes, U. S. National Museum.] 
In the fall of 1S92, while on an inve.stigation of the streams in eastern ’Washington 
with a view of locating a site for a hsh-hatchery for the U. S. Fish Connnissiori, the 
Avriter had the good fortune to secure a A”ery line specimen of Coregonns n'iUiavisoni 
approaching the breeding condition. 
As Avill 1)6 seen in the accompanying illustration (Plate 21) the tubercles on the 
scales at this time are very prominent, situated on the middle of the scales, milk-white 
in color, and forming horizontal lines along the body from head to tail. About six- 
teen of these lines can be counted between the back and ventral edge of the body. 
The tubercles show on the abdomen, but the color of that portion of the body and of 
the tubercles being similar, they are indistinct. 
Color: Daikon back, sides a lighter steel-gray, and under parts vddte; all lins 
tipped with black; caudal and adipo.se lins steel-blue. 
D. 14; A. 13; scales, 9-83-lh; pores in lateral line, SO; head, o; depth, 4; eye, 4^-; 
snout, 3. Gill-rakers short, about 12 below the angle. Mouth A’ery small, the maxilla 
barely reaching vertical through front of eye. Dorsal fin highest in front, gradually 
graduated to last ray, which is less than one-half length of anterior rays. The greatest 
height of the dorsal slightly exceeds its length of base, which equals the length of the 
ventral tins, being considerably less than the length of the iiectorals, but exactly that 
of the anal tin. Oaudal tin deeply forked. 
The specimen here described and illustrated measures not quite 11 inches; it is 
a male and was taken in Little Spokane Eiver near Clark Springs, October 5, 1892. 
Another exanq)le, a littlelarger (I24inches), rvas obtained by Mr. A. J. Woolman 
in the Little Spokane, in Septendier, 1892. The tubercles on this S])eeimen are well 
preserved, those on the former having disa})peared owing to exposure to tlie air and 
handling AAdule being drawn. 
Mr. W'oolman’s example has the following characters : D. 13 ; A. 13, Seales 10-80-10. 
Head, 5; depth, 4. Adipose tin very long, the length of its base being contained 2i 
times in the head’s length. Color as in the preceding. 
So far as we are aware the breeding whitetish, of any species, has not been here- 
tofore described in America. In Fauue des Yertebres de la Suisse, volume v. Hist. 
Nat. des Poissons, Geneve, 1890, Dr. Victor Fatio presents the following note on the 
breeding colors of Coregoiius exiguns of Switzerland: 
Adult males differ from the females by a more slender body, larger head, stouter muzzle of snout, 
the greater development of the paired fins, e.speeially the pectorals, and during the breeding season 
by a more intense coloration, also by the stronger and more numerous epidermic buttons, and some- 
times by the more strongly arched scales on the lateral line. 
It is unfortunate tliat we failed to secure female fish. The Avhitetish tvere very 
abundant in the Little Spokane; large numbers ay ere observed. They Avere, hoAveA’er, 
exceedingly shy and difficult of capture, and our efforts to net Iheni Avere entirely 
ineffectual. 
