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Arctic Grayling; Poisson Bleu
The Arctic or Alaska grayling is known from the Mackenzie, Kowak and other rivers of Alaska, and is said to abound in most clear cold streams even to the Arctic Ocean.
It reaches a length of 18 inches and is an excellent food and game fish.
Head 5 1/2; depth 4 2/3; eye 3; maxillary 6; D. 24; A. 11; scales 8-88 to 90-11; coeca 18. Body elongate, compressed; head rather short, subconic, compressed, its upper outline continuous with anterior curve of back; mouth moderate, the maxillary extending to below middle of eye; jaws about equal; scales moderate, easily detached, lateral line nearly straight; a small bare space behind isthmus. Colour, dark bluish on back, purplish-gray on sides; belly blackish-gray, with irregular whitish blotches; 5 or 6 deep blue spots anteriorly; head brown, a blue mark on each side of lower jaw; dorsal dark gray, blotched with paler, with crossrows of deep-blue spots, edged with lake red; ventrals striated with purplish and whitish.