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Webster 1913 Edition


Whitefish

White′fishˊ

,
Noun.
(Zool.)
(a)
Any one of several species of
Coregonus
, a genus of excellent food fishes allied to the salmons. They inhabit the lakes of the colder parts of North America, Asia, and Europe. The largest and most important American species (
Coregonus clupeiformis
) is abundant in the Great Lakes, and in other lakes farther north. Called also
lake whitefish
, and
Oswego bass
.
(b)
The menhaden.
(c)
The beluga, or white whale.
☞ Various other fishes are locally called whitefish, as the silver salmon, the whiting
(a)
, the yellowtail, and the young of the bluefish (
Pomatomus saltatrix
).