CHAPTER X.
OTSEGO BASS.
Coregonus Otsego.—This fish must be carefully distinguished from the Oswego Bass, there being no resemblance except in the stupidity of confounding by name one of the perch family, to which the latter belongs, with one of the salmon family, to which this belongs. The Otsego Bass is closely allied to the white-fish, but has numerous dusky longitudinal lines on the sides. Its mouth and scales are small, and it appears to have no teeth except the bristles on the gill-arches. The lateral line is nearly straight, and the tail is deeply forked. The back is a rich blue, fading into green, the sides brilliant with mother of pearl, and the belly gleaming like molten silver. The rays are as follows:
Br. 9; D. 13; P. 17; V. 11; A. 11; C. 22.
The second back fin, as in all the salmon tribe, is adipose and rayless.
These fish have as yet only been found in Otsego Lake, where they are rapidly diminishing in size and numbers. They are not known to take any bait, and are presumed to feed on aquatic vegetation. Early in spring they seek the shallow water for a few days, when they are taken in nets; but shortly retiring to the deepest water, they remain till Autumn, when they again seek the shores to spawn. They never exceed four pounds, and rarely two, and though undesirable on table, are not a sportsman’s fish, and have been described only that they may be distinguished from other species.
The general opinion now is that the Otsego bass is the white-fish, improved by purity of water. To test this, large numbers of the latter have been deposited in Otsego Lake under the direction of certain public spirited citizens.
CHAPTER XI.
THE BLUE-FISH.
Temnodon Saltator—Scomber Plumbeus (Mitchill)—Horse Mackerel—Green-fish of Virginia—Skipjack of South Carolina.
This fish belongs to the mackerel family; it has projecting teeth in the fore part of the jaws, and velvety teeth on the roof of the mouth and tongue. The first dorsal lies in a furrow, and there are two minute spines concealed under the skin before the anal. The scales extend over the head, gill-covers and high on the fins; the back is bluish-green, and the sides and abdomen lighter; the pectorals, second dorsal and tail are greenish-brown, while the ventrals and anal are white, tinged with blue. The gill-cover has two indistinct flat points. The fin-rays are as follows, the spines being distinguished from the soft rays.
D. 7.1.25; P. 17; V. 1.5; A. 1.27; C. 19-3/2