The ventrals are about one-fourth part nearer to the head than to the tail. The adipose
fin is moderately large, and opposite to the posterior third of the anal fin. The
anal fin is large and long, and terminates about one-third of its own length from
the insertion of the caudal fin. The caudal fin is widely emarginated with obtuse
rounded lobes.
D. 7. P. 7. V. 9. A. 23f. C. 17f. .
Length, exclusive of caudal fin,'30 inches.
This fish differs from Sèbà’s in size, the latter being only 5f inches long, and in
wanting serratures on the first ray of the dorsal fin, and teeth on the palate. Both,
however, are described from dried specimens, and they agree in so many circumstances,
that it has been judged best to consider Seba’s as a young.mathemegh. We
had neglected to take a description from a recent fish. The silurus catus of Catesby
differs in having its first dorsal fin of a conical form, placed in the middle of its body.
The mathemegh is found sparingly in the lakes that flow into the Saskatchawan,
and more abundantly in the lakes and rivers to the southward. It is much prized as
a rich food.
GadusLota, L. Burbot.
Methy, Cree Indians. La loche, Canadian voyagers'.
Gadus lota and Methy, Phil. Trans, lxiii. p. 152, Arctic Zoology, and Hearne.
Burbot, Donov. B r. Fishes, t. 82, Bloch, t. 70.
The burbot is found in every river and lake in the country, and attains the length
of 30 inches, or more. It spawns in February. It preys upon every kind of fish that
it can swallow, and in the spring its stomach is generally crammed with cray-fish,
often to such a degree as to distort the shape of the body.
The burbot is so little esteemed as food as to be eaten only in cases of necessity.
Very good bread, however, may be made of the roe, and the livers are always prized.
Dogs will scarcely ever eat this fish.
Pleuronectes Stellatus.
Sub-genus, Platessa, Cut). Règ. A n. tom. ii. p. 220.
Pleuronectes Stellatus, Pallasii, N ov. Act. Petropol. tom. i. an. 1787, p. 347, t. ix. f. 1 ; and Mémoires de
VAcad. de Petersbourg, tom. iii. p. 248, t. x. f. 1. (The latter figure errs in the dorsal fin not being carried far
enough fSortewlalartde.d) Flounder. SIm w 's Zoology, iv. pt. ii. p. 235.
This fish was found at the mouths of the rivers in the Arctic Sea,
Pleuronectes Glacialis.
Sub-genus, Rhombus, Cuv. Règ. An. tom. ii. p. 222.
Pleuronectes glacialis, Pall. ltin . p. 706, Gmel. Lin. p. 1235.
Found in Bathurst’s Inlet of the Arctic Sea.
Perea Fluviatilis var. t L.
Occow, Cree Indians. Hom-fish, Piccarel, or Dore, o f the Traders.
Gen. Perea, L in. Sub-genus Perea, Cuv. R eg. A m . ii. p. 293
Perea volgensis ? L . Gmel. or P. aspera? Pall. ltin . i. p. 461.
The perch of Hudson’s Bay differs in so many respects from the European one, that
it has been thought proper to give the following description of it. In its fins it bears
a stronger resemblance to the Perea Volgensis described by Pallas, although La
Cepede has referred the latter to the Lucio-Perca, which belongs to another of
Cuvier’s sub-genera.
Shape that of the common river perch.
Qolour.—The back and sides have a greenish colour, alternating in small spots
with king’s yellow. The belly is white. The first dorsal fin is beautifully streaked
and clouded with different shades of yellowish-brown, and there is a dark patch of
venous blood-red on its posterior part. The second dorsal, pectoral, and caudal fins
are coloured and spotted like the back. The lower lobe of the caudal is tipped with
white. The ventral and anal fins are white, clouded with king’s yellow. The latter
has, moreover, a slight tinge of red. The upper part of the head is coloured like the
back. On the cheeks there are some light shades of cherry-red, mixed with yellow.
The irides have a purple colour, intermixed with spots of pearl white.
The scales are of a medium size, and rough from minute teeth on their exterior
edges.
Head.—The lateral outline of the head, when the mouth is shut, is that of a cone,
whose summit, formed of the extremitiesof the upper and lower jaws, is rather obtuse.
The pre-operculum, of a thin crescentic shape, is entirely unconnected with the operculum.
Its posterior edge is free, and armed with small irregular tooth-like processes.
The inter-operculum is unarmed. The operculum and sub-operculum have conjointly
the form of a triangle, of which an entire side and the apex, which is lengthened out
by a membranous flap, are constituted by the sub-operculum. This latter bone is unarmed,
but the operculum has three or four small spines, which scarcely project
through the skin in the recent fish. The nape of the neck is armed on each side by
a rough bony plate, whose posterior edge projects a little. The cheek is large, fleshy,
and posterior to the orbit. There are several plates of scales on the anterior parts
of the cheek, the opercula, and occiput. The os fontis has numerous furrows, which
appear through the thin skin that covers it.
The eyes are large and prominent
The orifice of the mouth is large. The jaws are of equal length, but the upper
one is more obtuse, and receives into a depression the more pointed extremity of the
lower one. The inside of the mouth is of a bluish-white colour, and in some places
a layer of nacre shines through the lining membrane.