WHITEFISH. One of the many important fishes of the genus Coregonus, of the salmon family, of which about fifteen species inhabit the lakes and streams of Northern Europe, Asia, and America. They have an elongated. compressed body. with a conical head, projecting snout, and a small. toothless mouth. The scales are larger than in the other salmon, the caudal fin is deeply forked, and the dorsal fin is followed by an adipose dorsal. They are bluish olivaceons above, silvery on sides and below. The most familiar species is the common whitefish (Coregonus clapeiformis), which exists throughout the Great Lakes and adjacent waters, and is the most im portant fresh-water fish in America. The annual catch of whitefish in Canada and the 'United States is about 30,000,000 pounds, representing a value of $1,500,000. Whitefish reach a size of twenty pounds in rare eases, the average weight being about four pounds. They remain in deep water for the most part, but during the spawning season, which is in autumn, and at certain other times, for purposes which are not yet clear. they migrate to shallower water in great shoals. They. live mainly on small crus taceans, mollusks, insects, and larva.. A single fish will yield from 25,000 to 75.000 eggs, which are extensively propagated artificially by the United States Fish Commission.
The Rocky Mountain whitefish, or 'mountain herring' (('oregonus Williamsoni), is an excel lent species numerous in clear streams from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific coast; it is a favorite of anglers, as it will take a Ily. The broad whitefish or 'muksun' (Carrgoau.s Kra l/it/Wit is the best known of several Arctic spe cies. The 'humpback' (CoregonnsIsoni) is Alaskan. The 'Sault' whitefish (('oregoans LobrodoriroR) is a fine species numerous in 011 clean• lakes and streams from Lake Winnipeg to Labrador and smitItward into the Mirondark and While Mountains. where it is known as the 'whiting of Lake Wilinipiseogve."rhe lakes from New England northeastward to Alaska contain a valuable species of dark color (('oregon us quadri luteraliN) called 'roundfish."shadwaiter,"Me nominee whitefish,' `pilot-fish,' etc. The ciscoes (q.v.) constitute another and closely related group (the genus Argyrosomus), containing sev eral useful species, as the eiseo, Wackfin. tullibee, and others (qq.v.). The ineonnu is another 'whitefish.' of the genus Stenodus.
Consult Jordan and Evermann, Fishes of North and Middle America (Washington, 1896). See SALMON; and Plate of WHITEFISH, ETC.