y 639
IL6

1902-04 |
cop.4

FISH COMR’S REPORT
FLLINOIS, 1902-04

SLSLELSLS LELELELS LEE LEIS BEL EL ELE LED EAE
“

LIBRARY OF

Illinois State

OF

State Board of
Fish Commissioners

FROM

September 30, 1902, to October 1, 1904.

SPRINGFIELD:
ILLINOIS STATE JOURNAL CO., STATE PRINTERS,

1905.

Uy

INDEX.

Distribution . Leswotnatei=
Enforcement hE ae,
Report of President insite.

Warden eM Dah t cok NU IRIN Mirek Ns SI. A PRC dda Gee
POSER ON Ge ZURG ITTY oe. Se CRE SEIOD CCEA S be OIeE FC ASCE RIS a cic ECO E EIS Toot Picea eto aero ten

List of permits......

Carp..

Turtles.

Illinois Senibit ap Wenind Peercnaee TDaosiaainn.

Log of Steamer Mira tootm eReader erlighs La sk ae, Ut: bere men Lie ft |
LL TO Stasi a cere LM Ma ONSET 0) A ee re ee eee ee ee bean eer cite hci BeEamBeeo ae.

Pollution of streams..
Removal of acchonabic ene

ILA | BVT JOS comet ae Se REPLI? Sess OER RI fare ai ie paseo

SMe Cee Onl CAMO: He-& <tc. «: snes dees cbeaald Ss vos ob Pe ercae helegasics

EN SIETEG WEL EINES RAG ane Us Raed ee ES OnItbe hon CRIBSECES SERRE AO SOBERIEORIICS Goisc Gacser Baeccor mene sence
SULTUMSIEING ... - SS pBdSs Gta ond oo So eee GUE OME BEES Det O ASO eRS I RmRne on oe SOCCER ae Ter a ane at gear

APPENDIX.

Report of expenditures..
Construction of ponds.. ‘
List of rivers and Pepnerics in lino

Stage of err mig lc beter on tities a fe7. | Wee AOE Bo By
PRS aC eLiAESS IVES tap DOLD ESm: z\<ic.caophe iain so ea ates Seis ehele ole on bie aoa ene ep atric ieelos eleva) saje.e 25 et

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REPORT OF THE COMMISSION.

To His Excellency, Hon. RicHarp Yates, Governor State of Illi-
nots :

Dear Str—We have the honor to submit herewith our report of
State Board of Fish Commissioners from Oct. 1, 1902, to Sept. 30,
1904.

The work of the commission has progressed along same lines as in
former seasons. The collections for season of 1903 were good and
plants were successfully made. Every indication of an increase of
food fishes over previous seasons reported has been evident and
reports from every part of the State indicate not only more fish but
better care of them.

The open waters of the Illinois river show a very marked increase
since the introduction of the lake waters. For two seasons following
the opening of the drainage canal the water was so high that the
work of the market fishermen was largely interfered with, the river
being out of its banks and fish out in the woods. The rest, however,
has caused an almost unprecedented supply and the catches of the
season of 1904 have been record breakers, particularly of carp.

The development of the commercial interest centered in the taking
of coarse fishes on Illinois river has been of such a nature that con-
siderable capital has found its way from the east and the fish busi-
ness has taken its place to stay as a great food producing industry.

The law compelling the destruction of the gar for which the com-
mission urged that the meshes of the lawful seine be reduced to one
and one-half inches has been a practical one and has been observed
fairly well. Some enormous catches of gar have been made and when
the carnivorous nature of the fish and the immense destruction one
of these may cause to small fish is considered, the saving of young
fish to the river by their destruction can not be overestimated. The
dogfish for years considered absolutely worthless, are now taken out
and find a ready and profitable market. From both these sources
great protection is needed for the young fry of food fishes.

Some fault has been found in the decrease of the mesh and great
stress placed on the fact that game fish are easier taken of improper
size and that a great hardship is thereby entailed. As a matter of
fact but few bass, croppie or other game fish are taken in hauls made
for carp or buffalo.

2

The experience not only of your commissioners but of nearly all of
the commissioners of other states gives evidence that while large
hauls of carp are made, bass are seldom caught in same locality. I
would quote in this connection from Mr. Joslin of Detroit, Mich., of
the Michigan commission:

“The fish commission have its consent to a bill passing which would allow
the seining of German carp along the St. Clair river and on the shores of
Lake St. Clair and in a portion of Detroit river which borders on the state
of Michigan. I have taken occasion this summer to inquire of the carp
fishermen as to what they have found-and more particulariy with regard to
what effect the German carp has had on the spawning beds of the small
mouth bass. Along the shores of Lake St. Clair are probably as many
spawning beds of the black bass as can be found anywhere. The gentleman
who has done the most of the seining for carp told me that there were so
few carp in and around the black bass spawning beds that he did not think
it was worth while to run a seine there.”

This item, however, is taken up under the head of objectionable
fish and reasons given.

The fish business of Chicago is perhaps second only to New York
in its output of fish, drawing as it does its supplies from every section
of the Union, and the great distributing point for the product of the
Great Lakes. While the business of itself is on a ‘par with some of
the largest food producing industries of the State, it has need of
greater supervision of the commissioners than many others, in that
Chicago receives most of the fish taken in Illinois waters shipped to
market, excepting the carp, and with a hope of getting rid of the
small and objectionable fish taken unlawfully, the small dealers along
the river ship it to Chicago, when it is liable to tind its way to the
retail dealers scattered about the city, unless the shipment should
find its way into the hands of some of these commission men who
favor the provisions of the law and voluntarily turn over the illegal
fish to a warden for disposal, which is, we are glad to state, fre-
quently done, and by that means, a repetition of such shipment not
often made.

We are pleased to note that most of the responsible fish dealers of
Chicago are as anxious to enforce the provisions of the law as are the
commissioners, recognizing the wholesale waste entailed by the use of
small and immature fish.

In this connection we wish to call attention to the diminution of
output of the channel catfish, which for years was so abundant on all
our rivers and which holds, perhaps, one of the first places as an
edible fish. This can be traced directly to the capture and sale of
small fish by use of baskets, now unlawful to use. It was not an
unusual sight to see a boatload consisting of a ton or more of these
fish in possession of the market fishermen, that would not weigh an
ounce each. As these fish increase with second year a pound or
more, it will be readily understood that the waste was a fearful one,
and the supply fast reduced. This has our special attention.

Black bass are fully protected by the law which prohibits their
being taken except by hook and line, and the provisions rigorously
enforced by wardens as can be, and yet great numbers of small size

find their way to market. Such are always taken when found by the
wardens thus cutting off future shipments and discouraging the
fishermen from taking them.

To say that your commission has escaped criticism would not be
true. From the very nature of our work it is impossible for the
commissioners to give personal attention to all the details of the work
so far removed from them in most instances, but must depend
largely on wardens and on the local interest taken in the protection
of fish. We are frequently accused of favoring one class as against
the other, or that we are losing sight of the sportsmen in our effort to
protect, when under proper restriction, a legitimate business and a
great one, and in some localities special effort has been made to call
your attention to our alleged short comings in that direction, and by
a large number of people. On the other hand, a rigid enforcement of
the law, although along the most considerate lines possible with the
commission, complaint has frequently reached you, and through you
ourselves, that we were bearing down too hard on the commercial
fisherman in the interest of the angler. More or less newspaper
criticism as to our work and methods reaches us, but we hope to be
able to show results that will justify our work. Standing as we do
between both interests so largely apart as to methods, we have tried
to use judgment without the least prejudice or favoritism, so far as
we are able to accomplish it.

The steamer Illinois, through the courtesy of the General Assem-
bly, is now in shape to produce the best of results in patroling the
rivers and is an indispensible adjunct in protection of fish in the
rivers proper; staunch, fast and particularly adapted for such work,
with a crew selected for the purpose, we have been able to reduce
violations of the law along the rivers very materially.

During the season after close season, we collect the young fish
from overflows for distribution and when season is favorable can
produce best of results. Not only the fish that are used for distribu-
tion, but the hundreds of thousands of coarse fish are transported to
rivers from overflowed lands, render the work of immense value and
give back to the deeper waters what ultimately becomes tons of good
food when properly protected. We note the unusual interest taken
in obtaining and controlling large bodies of the overflowed lands
along the river for preserves, thus assisting materially in the pro-
tection and care of fish.

This season of 1904, under the patronage of the Illinois
Commission to Louisiana Purchase Exposition, and by courtesy of
the U.S. fish commission, in the U.S. fish commission building at
St. Louis, we gave a fair showing of our commercial fishes, together
with our game : fishes indigenous to Illinois. Very favorable comment
has been made of our exhibit. Acknowledgement of courtesies from
both is given in another place in report.

Taken as a whole we feel that the two seasons have been the best
we have had—-our work is becoming systematized, its purpose, scope
and importance better understood, ‘and instead of a “fad” it is one of
vital importance to Illinois, in that it has made waste places produce
food for the common people and given to those who love it as good

1

fields for angling as are produced in the country, and while we may
have failed in judgment at times, we have earnestly endeavored to do
our best with what we had to do with, and we have been liberally
dealt with.

DISTRIBUTION,

In making our distribution of fish especial attention is first paid to
public waters, then to large bodies of water open to the public, al-
though property of municipalities or corporations, then large reser-
voirs or ponds fitted for such purpose, and then to private applicants
who have proper ponds for their reception.

The extent of our distribution depends largely on the season. If a
favorable one, that is, if water in rivers has been high enough to oyer-
flow their banks and remain so through spawning season, the supply
is large and of such a character usually that if not gathered by our
crews, they would perish during the season by reason of drying up or
freezing out.

The bulk of our distribution is made by cans carried in baggage
cars on passenger trains. The railroad companies have as a rule per-
formed such service free of charge. The fish are always accompanied
by a messenger who aerates while en route, and does not leave them
until he has planted them. Usually we have the use of the U. 8.
Fish Commission cars and crews to make our general distribution to
private applicants, serving usually forty to sixty applicants with each
trip. The car and crew are placed at our disposal by the U.S. Fish
Commission without expense. The U.S. Commission, with whom
we co-operate in every way we can, have been very liberal with LIli-
nois as, in fact, they are to all states in the Union. They have the
most favorable reports from plants so made and in all parts of the
State increase has been noted, and if we can properly care for such
waters by proper protection, there is no doubt but that the normal
conditions, usual to waters originally, will again be reached, and there
is no reason why it should not be so, discounting only the fact that in-
creased population produced a corresponding increase in the angler
and that is in itself a great drain on natural resources, but that is
what fish are planted for, to use and should be used under proper reg-
ulation. We want to say a word as to supplying private applicants.

While it is not the province of the State to use its property to di-
rectly benefit the individual, yet when supply is sufficient, no better
use of it can be made than to plant fish, and if the individual has
proper water for them, than to recognize the interest he takes in the
matter. But failures are so frequent in pond fish culture, we have
thought it practical to offer a few suggestions.

Water is the first requisite. your stock next. Black bass are almost
universally called for by parties having ponds. This is a grave mis-
take. But few ponds already constructed are fitted for successful
pond culture of black bass, because they are so destructive to other
fishes and themselves that it becomes principally a “survival of the
fittest”, unless you have pond large enough and with natural food

5

enough to properly feed them, or pursue a system of artificial feeding
seldom practical to the farmer. Other fishes which abound with us
make better pond fish and far better results can be obtained by their
introduction. Croppie, sunfish, and catfish (when carp are not de-
sired) do well in ponds of limited area. However, if it is thought to
be desirable to build ponds for fish cultural purposes, the intent be-
ing to follow it in a practical manner, we have under a separate head
published a paper by Mr. J. L. Leary, Supt. U. S. Fish Commis-
sion Station of San Marcos, Texas, and read before the American
Fisheries Society at the meeting at Atlantic City, to which we ask your
attention. Under proper head we have given a list of fishes distrib-
uted by us during seasons of 1903-4.

The plants in season of 1903 ranged from 100 to 800 fish; were
nearly all two year old bass and one year old croppie.

In season of 1904 ranged from 100 to 1,000; fish were smaller. The
pike perch fry very small, being only a few days old when distributed.

In addition to the above plants, 361 private applicants were sup-
plied in numbers from fifty to 200 fish. In making most of these
plants we used by permission the U S. Fish Commission’s cars and
crews. It would have been simply impossible to have covered the
ground with ordinary means used, that is, cans in baggage cars with
messengers, for the reason that the space used in the baggage cars
could not be given us and our appropriation would not have covered
the expense.

It is gratifying to your commissioners to learn from the greater
portion of the State covered by these plants that the increase is noted,
‘and if we can form any estimate from the number of applicants we
have on our books yet not supplied, the interest in pond culture must
be largely on the increase.

Not every attempt to cultivate fish on the farm has been a success;
failures are numerous, but as our people are educated up to the point
of knowing that fish farming like everything else must be carried on
intelligently and requires good care when best results are to be ob-
tained, failures will be less.

The policy of the commission has been to supply public waters
first and then so far as we can, private applicants,

for

STREAM OR LAKE. County. Near Point.

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Macoupin creek .......... aie Macoupin- re /Macoupin . eee + a
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Greene river .... ae a ‘Amboy 205. Sees Rew
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PECAtONICAITIVED |. o.c. «cule sees vercene ale ce ce ct0s 00 base vues cons (MCE DHEHSON. . .| BUG Hey Wicca
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Reservoir ......... SON nna seseeeteceee Op anere ;| Parise
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Lake Whittemore Senelacenaiss Coealtaebebceeenese scene cuce ss DADSAMONM, .o, | LAnen wei eee
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DSIRE NB ATEIEtt 22: duck elie eRe eee teinct ats Deka a oa CURE Se lain: te ae ee ee LS
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7

In addition to above pike perch fry was planted in various parts of
the State as follows:

Illinois river near Peru. Rock river near Oregon.
Illinois river near Lacon. Rock river near Milan.

Illinois river near Peoria. Fox river near Aurora.

Illinois river near Havana. Fox river near Ottawa.

Illinois river near Beardstown. Kankakee river near Kankakee

Vermilion river near Danville.
Sangamon river near Decatur.
Mackinaw river near Mackinaw.

Illinois river near Pearl.
Illinois river near Bedford.
Illinois river near Hardin.
Illinois river near Grafton.

THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW.

In a state the size of Illinois, with its peculiar environments, the
enforcement of the law on an equitable basis is a rather difficult prob-
lem for the commissioners to handle. Peculiar conditions exist in
the northern tier of counties, in that the water is principally cold
spring lakes, particularly adapted to the gamier varieties of fish,
while in the middle and southern portion, water more sluggish, easier
affected by rains and overflows, while replete with game fish, yet is
distinctively a proper habitation for the coarser fishes.

It is desirable to utilize the coarse fish at all seasons of the year
except during the spawning season, and in order that they may be
taken, particularly while the lakes and rivers are covered with ice, it
becomes necessary for the commissioners to issue permits governing
seining during that time.

In the northern part of the State, the deep lakes, such as Fox lake
and the beautiful lakes in Lake county, the fishing there means the
taking of large quantities of the gamier varieties, such as the pike
and pickerel at a time when they are practically nearing their spawn-
ing period, and the law relative to fishing under the ice has to be
rigidly enforced.

Illinois, on account of its great length, has an immense river front-
age, and throughout the State a perfect network of rivers and lakes
exist, and while the interest in the protection of fish has increased
greatly and very many fishermen are aiding in the enforcement of
the law for their protection, yet there is a large number of irresponsi-
ble parties who are constantly taking advantage of every opportunity,
whether lawful or not. We have for the service of the enforcement
of the law, five paid wardens, and it is impossible for them to cover
the territory and do it full justice. Chicago demands the presence of
one all the time, and in order that the service there might be prop-
erly performed, it should have two.

A glance at the reports of the warden in Cook county will show the
extent of the work expected of him there and in that vicinity. The
tendency to sell small and illegal sized fish is, or seems to be, inherent
to every small dealer in the city, and as a consequence very many of
them take the chance of working off small and inferior fishes because
they can be obtained at a very low figure, the wholesale houses hardly
daring to offer them for fear of prosecution or confiscation.

Some idea may be had of the difficulty of enforcing’ the law when
it is understood that the lakes adjacent to the rivers are as a rule far

8

enough inland to give practical protection to a gang of fishermen who
wish to work them at night with small meshed seines and the difficulty
for those enforcing the law to get any evidence of such violation.
What we need is force enough to properly police the whole State.
The commissioners are very severely criticised for not obtaining bet-
ter service, and one would alinost be led to believe that the public
opinion of the duties of the commissioners are to lie out in the woods
at night and undertake to apprehend violators of the law.

The commissioners, serving without salary, have at best a large
contract on their hands to take care of the ordinary routine of work
which falls to their lot, and should be given assistance enough to
properly police the waters. We have suggested that the warden force
be at least doubled, and that a proper man be placed at their head
under salary, subject to the control of the Board of Fish Commis-
sioners.

For local reasons it is very difficult to obtain conviction at various
points along the rivers, there being a marked prejudice against the
enforcement of the law which would tend to curtail the business of
the fishermen, whether lawful or not, and the greatest difficulty has
been encountered in successfully prosecuting offenders.

Mr. Cohen, who has charge of the enforcement of the law, has
given his time to the work at a great detriment to his business and
feels as if now that the work has been practically organized, that he
should have help enough to successfully carry it on without claiming
so much of his time and personal attention. f

The use of the steamer Illinois in patroling the Lllinois river has
been of material assistance during the close season. Excepting in
the season of 1894, constant supervision of the Illinois river has been
exercised. The seines used in the river are of such length and size
that it is dangerous to use them with the boat in the river.

The use of the seines, however, has not been frequent, and the law
has been better observed than in former seasons. This, howeyer, is
not true of inland lakes and streams where the small seines and
trammel nets are used principally at night, and while not nearly all
such violations have been detected, yet a large number have been.
Warden Sites, of Homer, Ill., has made an enviable record in his
work, having obtained more convictions than any other one man, and
has done more to enforce the provisions of the fish law than any
other warden in the State, outside of Cook county. He is a fearless
officer, perfectly honest and loyal to his superiors and the interests of
the State. His report, which will be found under the proper head-
ing, will show the results obtained. The other wardens have done
good service, and although handicapped by local conditions, have, as
a rule, used good judgment and discriminated fairly between pro-
secution and persecution. While all have done their’ duty, yet the
number is inadequate to anything like a perfect enforcement of the
law. In many places we have had to rely on local deputies, who,
serving without fixed pay, and depending on fines alone for compen-
sation, frequently find that their time and work have been given for
nothing, owing to the difficulty in recovering the fines, which have
been assessed and collected, from the State’s attorneys, who seem to

9

have a lien on all fines collected up to a certain limit, although our
statute covering such collections makes it obligatory on all justices of
the peace to turn over the fines to the State Treasurer. The fines
collected from all sources and now in the hands of the State Treas-
urer fall short of $500.00. If these fines could be utilized as intended
by the law, as we understand it at least, as was the intent when it
was enacted, we think we should have money enough to employ
several additional wardens. So far we have found no means of com-
pelling the remittance of fines to the State Treasurer in accordance
with the law, except in a few instances, as stated.

We do not wish to be understood as finding too much fault, as
results show improvement in conditions in many respects. A com-
parison of the extent of the violations of law for the past two
seasons shows a very marked decrease over the record of former
seasons, and a corresponding increase in the enforcement of the law,
but even with noted improvement, there is still room for more.

We have had considerable trouble with express companies and
common carriers, as they will accept packages of fish that are not
properly labeled. The effect has been to allow dealers to ship game
fish, illegal to catch, in unlabeled packages, and such violations are
only provable when such fish are found in the hands of a dealer, and
the shippers are comparatively secure, because evidence against them
sufficient to convict them can not be obtained.

All manner of schemes are used, of course, to evade the provisions
of the law, and with our limited force, many of them are successful,
but we are glad to note that we are gradually obtaining the assistance
of the transportation companies in the matter. The express com-
panies have nearly all issued such notices to their agents as will
insure a better compliance with the provisions of law in regard to the
shipment of unlabeled fish.

REPORT OF PRESIDENT COHEN, IN CHARGE OF ENFORCEMENT OF Law.

Fish food being as essential to mankind as any other animal food,
a strict enforcement of the law for the protection and perpetuation of
fish is of vital importance both to present and future generations.
As population increases, the demand becomes greater. The constant
drain on the waters increases year by year. Commercial fishermen
and sportsmen have made sad havoe in this State in some of the
beautiful lakes and streams which nature has provided so bountifully
with game fishes and the coarse varieties of food fishes. To secure a
complete restoration of the former conditions in our lakes and rivers,
a rigid enforcement of the law is absolutely esséntial. Considering a
river frontage of 1500 miles, together with the numerous lakes and
ponds that require protection, our warden service is inadequate. The
statutes provide for only five wardens. Because of the great area of
water requiring constant attention, we are unable to cope with the
situation, with the limited means provided by law, and would recom-
mend that the General Assembly amend the law by appropriating a
sufficient sum to increase the number of wardens, so as to give the
entire State ample protection.

10

We regret to say that in some localities, it is impossible to secure
a conviction, no matter how flagrant the violation may be. In one
instance we found the justice in sympathy with the defendant, and
openly asserting that protection is a farce, and that people should be
allowed to take fish as they choose. We frequently have difficulty to
get the State’s attorney to prosecute; apparently he fears he may
offend some of his constituents by enforcing the law. The Attorney
General has ruled that all violations must be prosecuted by the State.
We are sometimes at the mercy of officers who are not in sympathy
with our work, and in such cases we-are almost certain to fail to bring
the guilty to justice. We would suggest that the law be amended so
as to give every constable and deputy sheriff authority to make arrests
for violations and to receive the entire fine after case has gone
through the proper channel. This provision will stimulate all officers
in authority to interest themselves in the protection of fish, and ob-
viate the necessity of sending regular wardens in localities where
prejudice against outside interference exists. With an amendment
covering the suggestion made herein, and with sincere coéperation of
the sportsmen of the State, there will be no difficulty in reducing the
violators to the minimum, and restoring the depleted lakes and rivers
to their primitive condition.

In 1899 the Legislature wisely enacted a law regulating the catch-
ing and shipping of fish, making it a misdemeanor to ship them un-
less they were marked as specified by law. All packages containing
fish shall be labeled in plain letters on the addressed side of the_
package, so as to disclose the fact that the package contains fish, and
stating kind of tish contained therein. The object of this amendment
was to prevent dealers from shipping the different species that were
prohibited by law. Bass for instance is a prohibited fish, and can
only be taken in the waters of Illinois by hook and line. The reason
for this is that 85 per cent of the fish taken in our waters are of the
coarse varieties, such as carp, buffalo, dog-fish and gar. The remain-
ing 15 per cent are classed as fine fish. The coarser varieties are
taken exclusively for commercial purposes, and are the means of sup-
porting thousands of people living along the Illinois and Mississippi
rivers. These fish are shipped to New York in 150 pound boxes,
marked, for example, “Illinois River Carp,” and are esteemed very
highly. A more detailed account of this industry is described under
another head in this report. The 15 per cent referred to consists of
bass, croppies and sun-fish. While there is no law protecting any of
these species, except the bass and pike, the sizes of other species
named are regulated so that no immature fish of any other varieties
are allowed to be shipped. The express companies and other com-
mon carriers have manifested a disposition all along to codperate with
us in the enforcement of this measure, and have notified their- agents
throughout the State to refuse all packages not properly marked. It
is rare to find a package in transit now that is not labeled according
to law.

The amendment passed and approved in 1899, which reads as fol-
lows: “That it shall be unlawful for any person to set or cause to be
set or used in the waters of Lake Michigan within a quarter of a mile

IE

of the main shore thereof any gill, pond or fike nets; no dip nets shall
be used except for catching minnows for bait, said dip nets not to
exceed twenty inches in diameter.” Prior to the passage of this law,
there were no less than 2,800 of these dip nets in close proximity from
Hyde Park to Twelfth street, on the Chicago lake front, operated, as
a general thing, by classes who had no respect for the law, catching
and disposing “of immature fish, depriving people who were disposed
to fish with hook and line according to law. We are indebted to Chief
O’Neil of Chicago for giving us willing assistance to abate this nuis-
ance that has been a menace to that locality for so many years. Our
wardens did their utmost, but were unable to overcome the constant
resistance of overwhelming numbers of these law-breakers. Orders
were given by Chief O’Neil to the different superintendents to give
whatever assistance our wardens required, and in a short time the en-
tire lake front was freed from these unlawful devices, and has so con-
tinued, through the untiring efforts of our wardens, who patrol that
portion of the lake front daily. People have an opportunity now to
get a few hours of excellent fishing certain seasons of the year, afford-
ing them good sport and excellent food supply without leaving the
city.

Uniform laws governing states bordering the great lakes are very
essential. and if properly enforced, would be the means of protecting
and perpetuating the valuable species indigenous to these magnifi-
cent inland seas. Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana should unite
with us in framing laws to arrest the indiscriminate destruction of
this indispensable food supply. We are in communication with the
commissioners of each of these states, urging them to use their efforts
to secure legislation that will prevent fishermen from any of these
states operating in one of the others during the closed or prohibitory
season. A rigid enforcement of a law of this kind would be the
means of the restoration of the larger species of white tish and trout
that were so abundant in former years and are scarcely seen in our
markets now, except a limited supply from Lake Superior, that body
of water being inaccessible to commercial fishermen the greater por-
tion of the year. The time has arrived when the lawmakers of states
bordering the great lakes should agree and adopt uniform laws, giving .
their commissioners power to act jointly to prevent the total annihil-
ation of a great industry and great food supply of generations to
follow.

A noticeable change in the condition of lower Lake Michigan has

taken place since the drainage commissioners have reversed the course
of the Chicago river. For several years white fish and trout were
conspicuous by their absence from this portion of the lake. The
paramount cause may be attributed to the constant flow of sewage
emitted through the Chicago river into the lake, precipitating
poisonous refuse upon the spawning beds that were occupied in
former years by these valuable species. We are reliably informed
that since the course of the river has changed, these species are re-
inhabiting their old haunts, and are becoming quite abundant in that
locality. This demonstrates that pollution is a prime factor in the

12

destruction of our game fishes. We recommend such legislation as
will prevent rendering establishments and like institutions from dis-
charging their refuse into the streams and lakes of the states.

There has been considerable controversy and much correspondence
with the commission relative to the inch and a half mesh for seines
and nets now operated by market fishermen in rivers used for com-
mercial navigation. This reduction in the size of mesh was advo-
cated by the commissioners for various reasons. First, the law
regulates the size of fish that shall be taken and offered for sale.
Fishermen are required to return to the water all immature fish. If
they comply with this law, the size of the mesh is immaterial. Sec-
ond, nothing larger than an inch and a half mesh will take the gar,
the most destructive of all fishes. These predatory ganoids gather as
sentinels by the thousands at the mouth of every slough and outlet,
lying in wait for the bass fry, after the parent fish leaves them to care
for themselves. Few escape the onslaught of this army of water
pirates. More game fish is annihilated by the gar in one year than
violations of every character would annihilate in ten. In December
last, John Schulte, of Havana, took, with an inch and a half mesh
seine, 35,000 pounds of gar in one haul. It took almost six weeks to
destroy them. Mr. Triggs, of Chicago, to whom the commissioners gave
permission to take the objectionable fish from the Fox lake region,
took 10,000 pounds of these pests in one haul with the inch and a half
mesh seine. Considering the utter worthlessness and destructive
habits of this fish, is it not wiser to use tackle that will rid the waters
of this enemy that is rapidly depleting’ our rivers and lakes of the
gamey varieties?

We are frequently petitioned by hunting and fishing clubs to issue
them permits to remove the objectionable fish from the lakes and
streams controlled by them for preserves. When we are assured that
these permits are requested for the sole purpose of eliminating the
undesirable fish, and not from mercenary motives, the request is
granted. The conditions stipulated by the commission are that all
fishing must be done under the supervision of a warden appointed by
the board, to see that nothing but objectionable fish are taken, and
the gamey species returned to the water. Not less than fifty permits
have been issued to clubs for this purpose in the last two years.

We are anxious to cdoperate with the sportsmen, granting them all
the privileges that the law places in our power, so that they may be
able to remove the undesirable fish that have almost depleted the
lakes and ponds of aquatic life so essential to the migratory water
fowl. Reports from various clubs are very encouraging. Tons of
carp have been taken this season from the Fox Lake region. Similar
reports are coming in from other localities. We are in hopes that a
few years of strenuous labor in this cause will reduce to the minimum
this species in lakes and ponds that are used for preserves. In con-
clusion it must be apparent to every thoughtful person that the work
assigned to this commission is largely educational. The people have
to learn the vast pecuniary values embodied in our fish supplies and
the important part these supplies perform in feeding the people.

13

They have to learn that unnecessary destruction of the fishes is tres-
pass upon the rights of others, for fish in the public waters are the
property of all the people. Punishment for illegal fishing therefore
is not only protection, but education. True sportsmen are humane
and respectful of human rights. If this sentiment were universal, the
enforcement would be easy, the inhabitants of the waters of the State
would soon be multiplied more than ten-fold, and the interest of both
the sportsmen and the commercial fishermen would correspondingly
be enhanced.

WARDEN SYSTEM.

The Forty-third General Assembly gave as an amendment to our
warden service and instead of an unlimited number of wardens who
were dependent on convictions and fines for their compensation, five
paid wardens.

This has proved to be a practical change. Under the old system
the enforcement of the law was at least a temptation to persecute and
to use the provisions of the law to obtain their fees rather than pun-
ish the offender and the personal interference of the commissioners
was asked for so often, that it took more of our time to prevent prosecu-
tions than to prosecute—in other words the old rule of ‘something
for nothing” did not work. Men who spent their time and money to
enforce law and found fines not to be collected, pursued other meth-
ods to make themselves whole. Under the present paid system,
wardens depend on their salary, expenses paid by commission, do not
handle any fines, and are not permitted to take money in any way for
services.

The report of wardens made elsewhere will show extent of work
and its value. What we need is an increase in the number of wardens
to properly handle the requirements of the whole State.

REPORT OF WARDENS’

The wardens are required to make monthly reports to the board of
commissioners giving the number of arrests made, the number fof
nets and seines siezed, and the number of convictions, if any have
been secured. The nets that are taken are delivered to the sheriff of
the county in which they are found, and his receipt for them is taken
as in the following instance:

CuicaGo, Inu. Nov. 11, 1904.

Received of Geo. W. Glynn, warden, seven nets taken in Calumet river.

[Signed. | TnHos BARRETT,
Sheriff Cook County.

Chicago, to which all roads in the State of Illinois lead, commer-
cially, is the center of trade in the fish industry, and not only from
different parts of the State, but from almost every other state as well,
are fish shipped to its markets, and naturally, very many undersized
fish find their way there among the others and the work of the war-
dens in enforcing the law relating to the size of marketable fish has
been a difficult one. The lake front for miles has been thickly
covered with derricks with dip nets attached with which thousands

14

of pounds of very small fish were taken, and these were placed-on the
market, but this practice has been broken up and the lake front is
practically clear of these devices now.

Calumet lake and river have offered great temptation to the fisher-
men in the way of illegal fishing, and in consequence, large numbers
of seines and nets have been taken from these waters. The under-
sized fish that are found in the hands of the dealers are taken and
sent to the various charitable institutions of the county in which
they are taken, and a receipt is given to the dealer from whom they
are taken and a receipt is taken from the institution receiving them,
both receipts being filed in our office. It is but just to say that the
dealers with but few exceptions, give up such fish willingly.

The violations of the law in Lake Michigan have greatly decreased
latterly, at least, in that portion under the jurisdiction of the State of
Illinois. Our commission has been working jointly with that of
Michigan in the enforcement of the laws, and with good results. The
decrease in the offerings of small fish has been quite marked. and the
result will be perceptible in its effect on the future supply.

The South Water street dealers, as a rule, are now in sympathy
with our work and have notified all shippers that undersized fish will
not be accepted.

Taken as a whole, the commissioners have reason to feel that great
advancement has been made. <A better understanding exists with
dealers and fishermen, and a great industry is being protected and
promoted, while at the same time the interests of anglers are directly”
benefitted in the protection of the game fishes with the others. The
question of enforcement of the law so as to best protect both the
commercial and angling interests has been one that occasioned con-
siderable care and thought on the part of the commissioners. The
most energetic in demands for protection, as they view it, have been
the angling fraternity, and at first glance. they may seem to have the
best of the argument, but a consideration of the fact that a proper

care be given the protection of the commercial phase insures a plen-
tiful supply of cheap and wholesome food to an army of the working
classes, seems to make our duty plain, while the game fishes enjoy
equal protection and are insured a supply of food in the increase of
the coarse varieties upon whose spawn and fry they live, so that we
feel that the intent of the fish laws, as it should be of all law, the
effecting of the greatest good to the greatest number, has been sub-
served.

Our warden system, while more effective than formerly, has been
demonstrated as less efficient than it should be, in that we lack a
sufficient number to cover the State, and money enough to carry out
the plans adopted so as to make it generally effective. Illinois is a
large State, with the most productive waters within its borders of
any of equal area in any other part of the Union, and public policy
demands that these waters be made to produce their full quota of
food, and that food be given to the people through the proper chan-
nels, which can only be done by the kind of oversight which an effi-
cient warden service can give. The commissioners, serving as they

15

do without salary, can only give supervision, as field work could
scarcely be expected of them, so that some such aid is essential to
the full success of this work. In the -proper place in this report we
have made such recommendations as seem practical to your commis-
sioners.

Report oF Fish WARDEN A. Sites, Homer, Itu., FoR Two YEARS ENDING
FEBRUARY 1, 1905.

Number of arrests, one hundred twenty-four (124).

Number of convictions, seventy-eight (78).

Number of persons not convicted, forty-six (46).

I am unable to give the exact amount of fees paid in as the justice of the
peace gave a number of the convicted parties time in which to pay their
fines.

Number of nets taken, three hundred thirty-two (332).

Number of fish baskets taken and destroyed, one hundred twenty-one (121).

About 150.000 pounds of fish, illegally caught, turned back to the water.

About 1.200 pounds of fish billed for shipment contrary to the law, taken
and distributed to different charitable institutions.

The above service performed in Champaign, Tazewell, Peoria, Henry, Piatt,
Vermilion, Green and Jasper counties.

A. SITES.

To Hon. Nat. H. Cohen, President Illinois Commission:

I herewith submit my report as warden for the year 1904. Also give table
showing increase of the industry from 1897 to the present time.

There has been very little illegal fishing during the year; only twice have I
been compelled to seize any property. That was during the closed season;
on April 21, I took six hoop nets, and on May 12 I took eight more, all of
which were turned over to the sheriff of this county (Mason county). We
have had more to do with the saving of fish from destruction on account of
the extremely high water in the early part of the year which overflowed all
of the low land for miles around. When the water receded, it left many
thousands in places where they were unable to get out, so under your in-
structions July 10, I commenced with seine to take fish from the ponds and
lakes that were likely to go dry, and succeeded in saving about one million
small fish, principally crappie, but some of all kinds except pike and salmon.
The fish were taken from the ponds and put in the Illinois river at the
nearest point. There seems to be a growing tendency among fishermen to
want to help the commission, as they realize that only the untiring efforts of
the commissioners have been the one thing that has given them the foreign
market and made the Illinois river the second river in the United States in
commercial value of its product and first in number of pounds caught.

Respectfully submitted,
Havana, III. E. E. CALDWELL,
Warden.

Tabulated Statement of Fish shipped from Peoria, Pekin, Havana,
Bath, Browning, and Beardstown from 1897 to 1904.

| 1897. | 1898. | 1899. | 1900. | 1901. 1902. 1903. 1904.

| | rR:

l l l l
Bevita 272. i: | 931,400/ 215,434) 1,067,800) 1,995,940! 2,104,940, 1,204,321) 1,664,380) 1,792,950
Pekin. ...........| 373,000, 197,570," 786,800, 204,690| 567,690) 588,500) 1,322,600) 2,342, 840
2 EY ae | 1,561,683) 1,600,184, 1,364,400, 1,605,191) 1,730,291, 1,893, 820, 2,522,000) 3, 792, 304
Bath..........:...| 294,300) °207,500| 411,500} 216,570) 282,570) 146,354) 290,800| 122, 300
Browning ........ 525,500) 1,103,700, _ 645,300 909,700, 869, 700 1,240,100, 390,240) 190, 200
Beardstown... 511,680 1,436,100 1,316,830, 1,342,100) 1,789,600 1,672,000, 1,672,420 1,284, 321

4,152,563 4, 760,488 5,592, 730 6,274,291 7, 344, 791 “6, 745, 095 7, 862, 420 9,525, C05
'

16

RECAPITULATION.
VBOT «cine eile vemtsctoedsaajcowsecicebrvaese, 4,152,065, | 1902... 2) deme stam ae oup aa pen aie
WSO8. ooo updo css ce cceersccse eesesaxes A, TO0,48S" | 1008 eo el. 0 can ana cen ete ee
1BO9 cui jiod seca os ict dcooeewesssscce. “ByO02,700, | A904. S. eeran Sed saree ae eee
1900 Sa oiparsait arena oe aeee tole ea aeaaa an 6, 274.291
1901 eeacscoze -martas doen ware ceneneanss «lg Oe eMOL Total ......... 2.02 coo. cs weneOslsap iene aa

To the Honorable Board of Fish Commissioners:

According to your instructions, I herewith hand you tabulated statement
of fish shipped between Hennepin and Peoria from the year 1897 to Jan. 1,
1905.

1897. 1898. 1899. 1900. 1901. 1902. 1903. 1904.

|
Henepin....:. sc.- | 26,900| 154,000! 161,330, 245,200 252,200) 268,344 297,430' 314,300
Putnam.. uy 53,100, 479,600; 380,500 240, 310 224,100 279,440 544,000 617,020
Henry.... ..| 245,000 439,600 380,000 245, 200 292, 308 295, 350 296, 550 531,433
Lacon . .-| 148,000 287,275; 482,250 639, 350 239, 350 376,000 544,350 412,000
Chillicothe. eebete 247,500 372,725| 492,250 639, 350 218, 440 669,000 682,300 736,290
Rome.. esa CI eae: : : 88, 000

| 720,500, 1,733,200) 1,849,330, 2,009,410 1,226,398 1,879,134 2,364, 730, 2,699, 043

E. E. CALDWELL. Warden.

Henry KLEINE & Co., IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS LEATHER SHOE STORE
SUPPLIES.

200 LAKE STREET, CHICAGO, ILL., Mareh 11, 1904. ~

Mr. Nat H. Cohen. President Illinois Fish Commission, Urbana, Ill.

DEAR Srr—I respectfully submit my report on the seining for carp in the
Fox lake region for the season of Oct. 1st, 1903 to Mar. 1, 1904, as per report
of Deputy Fish Warden Otto Falk. which agrees with the statement given to
me by Mr. W. C. Triggs who had the contract for seining.

40,239 pounds at 4c .... BO fein, dU. casae) sietelsls sun aes woe seems cece dass ee $301 78
Balance of cash from last year. . wo Rte eile Oa: de SR. es hee Pay
MOtal fe cc cee + ityecicee eb ccc cGee ae ese foes PIES ce = =,ce seek eee ees sae = <n een $308 95
DiSbUTSEMIENTS ea oes hoe i woe coe one ee bat ss aceite mame streets <.05e 6 pele 166 69
Cash on hand . Cc tewilds oh See GPR ce saigeeibe tices. 06 wie eed Scene ae 3142 26

All of which is J vddvenbnanly LapmnatEed ia hope will meet with your entire
approval.
Respectfully yours,
HENRY KLEINE.

CuicAGao, Inu... Nov. 1, 1904.
Nat. H. Cohen, Esq., President Illinois Fish Commission, Urbana, Ill.
DEAR Str—Your favor of the 31st ult., duly received. In reply beg to say
that the amount of coarse fish taken from Fox lake this year has been as
follows:

During the month. of Septemberi1904. . sooo, cc ccc ccnw ov wc emcee ee sels ws c Ck rere caer te ea
Durning the month of October, 19040. oo i. en so cia tesekoesnee ches aces eas keene 19, 735

We expect an enormous amount of carp this fall as all indications point
that way. Never before have carp been caught in such numbers in our region
so early in the season. Other years it was always necessary for cold weather
to set in before we could make any catches whatever of carp.

Respectfully yours,
HENRY KLEINE.

17

Oct. 24,1908. 600 pounds
BOVIS te cla Ms csjanle.ve eieencls ee wide latte fas 390 pounds
SATO NPEL SUS PII 995. for cls staat se orci POURS detea ys Ota kideeltenb wala 1,400 pounds
Nov. 9,1903. 1,295 pounds
Nov. 16,1903. 2,659 pounds
Nov. 24,1903. 380 pounds
Nov. 80,1903, 1,800 pounds
Dec. 1,1903. 1,000 pounds
Ste Th TRS REC eye RR Se RS ee OLS i ee Ce aie |e 600 pounds
Dec. 8,1903 165 pounds
Dec. 14,1903 1,000 pounds
Dec. 18,1903 1,200 pounds
PL RSP EMSs ~ ccteucenp tare oe orale eran lg aaron Darna A etieahitin tires wie die 7,600 pounds
Dlncge.. 2 LSS aR Se ae eae gears Shs ha Ree, tees a a ee 200 pounds
EHEC DUO SEE emer yae aceite ce eats ca sel aees elastic oe marinceize 200 pounds
See LOU cee ein cic(cnc oct cisterns satetemnuriehiotasnsoaotstessne, 8,000: POUNdS
SPR IMMMIILNRL UO Sseee es Soca cy So nett tetitee Macnee Joie eee deeds see © 0,000) pounds
RUE EN MIL PANT HOA omen er Meret ahs. <:<rat Arias favars, «ae SA alate altos Mei clavatarele eielawie wis:suera 2,400 pounds
SLeriMenL NEL OU Leenurethry.car. ondcn ceeds Grineaemtoosen cone tee eteectenvas |» 1,600 pounds
SERIO OOMLO ie ee cones oxo ete atest aulscniibe ss occatiniistence . 3400) pounds
RC LIER COLMAR AD So heot yas cmneqae Oona neater iasetdesses 93,000, pounds
SD] ig 7), OY Ce Bi Nn ee ee 550 pounds

Total.. 40,239 pounds

Dec. 2,19083Wm salen, etal De EF. W
Jan. 5,1904..do..

Jan. 15,1904. do

Jan. 15,19040tto ‘Falk, D.F. W..
Feb. 21904, do

Mar. 5,1904. .do

at *4 cents Bye 78
{fay

$308 95
20 00
20 00
20 00
30 03
29 67
46 99

"166 60

$142 26

List of Commercial Fishermen who have been given Permits to Fish

under the Ice for Coarse and Objectionable Fish,

vision of Warden.

under Super-

Dixon Bros.

JMO waeschultel Se esses

MOAR OCHUITEEs. cee...

ee & echacter: 3

. L. England -

Bae RV CLES Get atte ei tae sie ws ae

NOPE VELeESt GolGOr a. gsuceceas sce c nee J

Frank Harris. Paeeeeck hice ase eval al

Walt. Harris & Bro.............-...... Havana
BOB CUP EVANTIS Set, Naeem ca son oe taci eats Havana

INOCHER TEI ETOS ae cncee-s enlaces emcee Havana

Chas. Renee & Co: Eee aval

Jno. Nash.. a 2 Havana

Tees Brown.. Havana

Riley Smith & Son.. Havana

Cornelius Broyle.. bee ee eer avand

Platt, Riordan & Gar.) th ee Havana

@hrarles|Stevenss. 220... s.cs.. -:.- sees ee kdavana

WaswMicGauslenieas.. 6. deste. snsecanee Lavan

Messe BUMteee CO wari. coe.0 sass oe eeiorecs Havana

Wm. Le pee Sa ae aes Thooeiosse le

a Bete ee Oi sece 2 fey ce Rath
Wilton Darlin ote sss h en .. Bluff City
WMiarkeiViankley ise crass. daeteles dence Bluff City
NWWATTCUINDSTOS: crcnureeiae tice ce cisje vss.ce Liverpool
Brea hiGm PSOMs sett ecco... come. AeDTY
El erly tall... Sa.cneees . Henry
TG Eh a(S ae oe ee Henry
Oscar Nash.. : eee ELeDEY:
wetaeke 3 Peterman. Sater Se aisle .. Henry
Gag LE Webi, Cee oe oe on Henry |
Fred Banter PL eee : . Henry
limb alryinpleree.... -... cccmeneatn sc ‘Chillicothe
Arthur ae ....Chillicothe
J bektorn.. eit ats. ee Chillicothe
Carter Bros . SE pbiek cal ease adattes seen SHMUICOtHE
Jerry Folsom..........%...........Chillicothe

—2FC

Ted Nelson

Wood & Sweeney................-

RED CURIO Gas tice metcanee iw eh ee ..Rome
E. Martin . tome
IL@WIS ID RON le p52 co code eonoos ese Rome
John Houston... Se eee NOME
Rogers Bros. & Kennedy Ets ee en en Rome
Robert Wilson . Rome
ennvaGatlintecncc, ec seee nr conecomare ce Rome
Frank Gatlin. . ee. Rome
Bell Edlin. eRe See AM oredosia
Hamm & Bennett.................. Meredosia
Hindenliter Broseaceadceos ce cane oask Meredosia
last COdyeuss ewe ee eekiee sae ceeiene as MLCLEGOSia
UD ave ASpoon tile, 2s Goan ee eee Peele Meredosia
Swan & Goodell....... ............ Meredosia
UOlava ls lated WES Aas Bon Gonos cee beto. Meredosia
ChasmDrole were ee ecw nae te Meredosia
Geo. ©. Woodruff. .:............... Meredosia
Geo. A. Woodruff.................. Meredosia
Carl KaObIOCKSE.: t220 5) be ssee es. oe eredosia
Dan HOME 28950: Seat ae eee eelen ae oe UEDA
Wm. Perkins... ..Putman
Wim. Stimels. st. he, Saxe ontsite .. Henry
Alblieb & Toferen.. Sviease . Henry
TohmtWawidsone so) i465 Aue co: ‘Chillicothe
Geo. Kennington........... ..Chillicothe
SEL IEL OT Seah eee cosa ge SUE a
TOSEDHUROSE 5. hs. se tacice a0 seks kcleee sUKOmMme
VOnn Beatimeasten sees cece eee nee Go aC On
Wren Clark. . Lacon
John Thomas . . Lacon
MOM StEMMDAKELo ssa acteuce Geen eees coca ns LaaCOn
Glavitonibiyattieire: ot ieee bee ga cOn
DAIL UNG WIN AM 5s acsics ati scens cla cea Ge aien > LaACOD
OPW Peterses aie. Pech Bi. Secret scene oaCOn
BIC EVOGSON eee uy eate cota coe soles btaces Lacon

ELCTiTIATIORALSCH - typ pumice waaass's se den Lacon
John RAUSCH 3 i.cccwatleat Aeramnd oan waa Lacon
Buschnell & By oct Wierda ewese COM
Ruban Ham. p Lacon
Bud Scott. . Lacon
John Beauchamp . Lacon
Philip Hodges Lacon
DONO: Cody . ..:..icseeedeaee eas. cee eales Lacon

A. ISAZCL.: cclevtietmedaoteda sd: cidade Lacon
Ei Sinith sees PEP ea ede eee or eo
A. W.-W allert:; coemeteaxe Deeee swore urs ledcad
WinsiCollinstc.ccie nies nero oh ne eCOu
DdWiee MEATS: 488. comuatancesteeniine cee acon
GeO. WitirsteD... centered bie vns e-em aacou
OFC. AH OMmian: < zuaeneeeiee sarc. + aac Lacon
Dis be Lee IOI Sr > .. Lacon
JOHMCISEO. \. 5; so ceaees teieatee .. LaGrange
Je Braagbury soos eee ee hieen rawe oo LaGrange
A. Kincaid . .... Beardstown
Sherman Bell . .. Beardstown
CACC. cuic.ene tune seein estore Beardstown
Tom Herron . .... Beardstown
Stark Phelps . .. Beardstown
Geo. Riley . : . LaGrange
Chee. Rushworth... LaGrange Locks
Je OmMaste vecccentewie ee eae LaGrange Locks
Mat Richwe.)-. dre .4 2 si ees ae oe eardstawn
Sam Walters 2... .<es(varerscenr fea Beardstown
Wallace Munngh.. .. Beardstown
Reeves & Molenbrook............ Reardstown
L. Hagerty S .. Beardstown

WArpiie Hills... cccossecctucne aes.

SruiGaMmpbelle.... ccaccs csecme nce DeAkO stows
Eleni Balduth 44-.scceeecee cece meardstown
So Moormanity-+scueen cosneena ce eee Beardstown
Winiv Marshis....gscacebs ocancneasaes Be arastown,
WURDULNELG screnion ceiemeebtra cen eee GALOSLOMIE
RGHeH Crowe, save.scaek es Geek Beardstown
GEOMrATE cook eicee pee ee soe Beardstown
1G, PGE HED. fare .. Beardstown
INASHee eee et ae LaGrange Locks
TRO Tito 8. ee se ee Beardstown
GS WAN ie ay oie orn ace cee eelae ce BER EAEOS LOIN
Frank Wal 5. scaacoeaeie coerced Keardstown
Jas. Swan. .. Beardstown
J. Murier & Co.. e . Beardstown
Harry Granville............. LaGrange Locks -
WO BERKMIANG cook ccosecmtesoen LaGrange Locks

Wiren Clarke i oeb keane

.. Beardstown

.. LaGrange Locks

18

CARP.

F. Hicks . - Lae Locks
J. McGomery ...... (a .. Beardstown
Jerry enuaiokes org eae ..- Beardstown
J. Bird. PN: .. Beardstown
CU. Water... .-..2cke Browning
Sam Gibson. .. Br rowning
F. a Dodd. .. Browning
J. H. Gibson .. | :.<2:.c-. ae Browning
BH. Breeden .......cs<s<4deeneea’ .. Browning
Jas. COOPEL, ..0 ++ 06 sn 0s oes eeannepn een
Dan Walton, .5...<.d<s<ea< geen Brow ning
Sam: Dodds. 2: «sic-senaceneetee Browning
“Mark Walton.. ..-- Browning
A.C. Lane.. .. Browning
| Fred Sherrill,;.... ass .«012eas (ae Browning
R. ane. o cniea vsnmcans +a ees enn
Philip Sherrill. en
Brank Weison ....4is<.0c- «cssues eas
Bill Brown... ......ca00¢ssecensanes Seep
Chas. Weison. ....%.<.ssceessuale ase eee:
Curt Skiles. 22; .....«e.es sau eeeee ee
Géo.. Carlock... .-.< s<<aes 295aue nee tenn
Lou Bryan: .... ..+.0,sss0e eae Browning
Chas. Douglas... 2... 22... <ceassempe tee
P.M. Dray’.......cc0. bose coe eee
John Waters... ...20..d: s:etus caceenee aan
Geo. Fowler,.....:s2.00s 25-52 Browning
Ward Aten... «Anni fesse <> see Browning
Oscar. Fowler.... | 2c. ¢332-40ee eee Browniug
Jas. Day.. ..-. Browning
A. Eggleston... .. Browning
Frank ‘Wilcox... 2.c/.02e seen eee Browning
Jno., Sherrill, (Sr... cc esse eee Browning
Jno. Harrits.... jos. .1 «occ cee ee
Fields Harris... .2..s:0. eaten Browning
Jas. Thome.:<...:: S..s<ssene eee + Rrowsine
Henry Senge a -7s-pa Spans
Chas. Gorritz.. .Rom
BE, CiS@0: h.ssk..c 58h ee oe “" Chillicothe
Wm. Brown.. .. Chillicothe
Chas. Bear) :: 3) .. 352. seca eeeeeeee Chillicothe
Frank Donville..... -:F-7ete sea ee
Chas. Brown.. ..Chillicothe
J. Partridge -. .:..: be eee Chillicothe
H. Smith.. .-...Chillicothe
(e35 Barchley.. . ..Chillicothe
E. Spellman.. ..Chillicothe
ps (-( olel RRP as oo. Chillicothe
Chris: Long: ............. «40s Chillicothe

As in former seasons, we find the carp well to the front, as an ar-
ticle of food and money producer, and we see no reason to find any
fault with them from any standpoint.

We have given the subject serious and close attention because of
the great amount of unfavorable criticism it has received all over the
country, but with our knowledge of the real situation in regard to
them we feel that their introduction has been of real benefit to a large

majority of the public.

Illinois, as has been frequently stated, is a

large state, nearly 400 miles in extent from north to south. It is in-
tersected in every direction by streams, adjacent to which are wide,
rich bottoms tilled with lakes, shallow for the most part, and filled
only by the overflows of the rivers.

water specially adapted to the rapid growth of the carp, and used but
little by the game fishes, why should it not be utilized in producing
good, cheap food for the people?
with other fishes, so that nothing is sacrificed to the carp. The Illi-

With thousands of acres of such

It can not be done to advantage

19

nois river, 250 miles long, asa navigable stream, is for the greater
part of it an ideal stream forsuch fishes. The spring lakes, adjacent,
and of which there are thousands, afford ample breeding places for
the bass and other gamier varieties. Fox lake, which is a part of the
head of the river, has been and always will be one of the greatest
breeding grounds in the country for game fishes, which find their
way into the Illinois river, and there they find plenty of food to their
taste in the carp and its product of spawn and fry.

That the commercial side of the industry is a large one can be
easily verified by consulting the reports from the various cities along
thisriver. Take from the towns of the Illinois river the fishing in-
dustry and it would practically put most of them out of business, and
a personal investigation of the conditions existing there will demon-
strate the correctness of this assertion. We clip the following from
the Bloomington Pantagraph of Sept. 11, 1904. It is a clear state-
ment of facts, evidently taken by the writer from personal investiga-
tion:

“The Illinois river, it is claimed, furnishes more fish than any other in the
United States, with the single exception of the Columbia in Oregon. The pro-
duct of the latter river is largely salmon, while the Illinois furnishes in grea-
ter or less abundance fully eighty kinds. Havana, in Mason county is the
largest market for fish there is on the Illinois, and more is shipped from that
town, it is claimed, than from any other place along the river.

Up to November 1 there had been shipped from Havana by freight 1,300,000
pounds of fish, while fully one-third as many more had been shipped by ex-
press and sold at home to peddlers. The peddler’s trade is very large, as scores
of towns depend for their supply on local people who ship in fish from Ha-
vana and retail them from house to house. The finer grades, too, are usually
sent by express to the eastern cities, so that it will be quite within the truth
to say that fully 2,000,000 pounds of fish will be shipped from Havana during
the year of 1904. ;

Nearly or quite half of the fish shipments consist of German carp. Next
comes buffalo, then bull pouts, then dog fish, then white perch, then sun fish,
then black bass, then cat fish, then crappies, then striped bass, then turtles.
These are the principal varieties that are shipped, but there are some eighty
sorts caught in this river.

A good many varieties of fish never attain an adult length of more than five
inches. These are commonly taken for the young of other fishes, and are re-
ferred to indiscriminately as ‘‘minnows” by the uninformed.

Another important factor is that at least sixty fishes of the rivers of Illinois
have no common names, and that such names as bass, perch, stoneroller, horny-
head, grindle, stickleback, ete., all have more than one application, the same
name being applied not infrequently to very different fishes.

Up to November 1 there have been shipped from Havana fifty-five car loads
of fresh fish. Each car contains 26,000 pounds on an average, the car loads
ranging from 20,000 to 32.000 pounds each. Fish are always packed in boxes
holding just 150 pounds. From 150 to 200 of these boxes constitute a car load.
These boxes are three feet and six inches bong by eighteen inches wide, all
being new. There is a factory at Havana where these fish boxes are made,
which gives employment to some fifteen men constantly. The wholesale
price of these boxes is 43 cents apiece and 25,000 are annually made. The
cities of Pekin and Bath both get their supply there as well as Havana.

Without ice there could be no shipping of fish during the greater portion
of the year. Ice is a very important factor and immense quantities are used
during the spring, summer and fall months. Ice is put up at Havana from
near by ponds and from Spoon river. Ice from the Illinois river is not made
use of. All fish are packed in layers of broken ice, it requiring four tons
just for the boxes in one ear. In addition to this amount seven tons are
used in each car containing fresh fish, making a total of eleven tons for every

20

ear. During the year some 100 cars are sent from Havana, so it can easily
be seen that the ice trade there is a big thing. About a third as much more
is used for packing the fish that go by express and that are taken away by
eddlers.

4 All coarser sorts of fish are sent by freight in car load lots, while the
choicer kinds are shipped by express in much smaller packages. New York
City furnishes the greatest market for German carp. This fish seems to be a
favorite article of diet for the poorer Jews of many eastern cities, and large
quantities are sent to Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, as well as to Chicago,
St. Louis and southern cities.

In every northern city carp can be found on the menus of many restaurants
and good hotels. At the Waldorf-Astoria café carp with Rhine wine sauce is
quoted at 65 cents per portion, just the same as fresh mackerel. Kansas City
and Memphis are also large users of carp from Havana.

Carp were introduced into the Illinois river some fiften years ago. but are
already largely in the majority and may soon claim sole occupancy of that
water. They were planted by the United States fish commission, but have
increased in numbers so rapidly as to threaten the life tenures of all other
fishes there.

Carp do not eat other fish as a rule, as is commonly supposed, but they are
enormously prolific, are voracious eaters and grow very rapidly. Like the
English sparrow they monopolize the territory and the other fish are starved
out. They eat moss, as do other fish, but being pugnacious they keep the
other fish from the feeding grounds. They also dig deeply into the mud,
stirring up the water and making it so muddy and thick that other varieties
of fish which require clear water die off quickly.

Carp grow twice as fast as do other fish. At eighteen months they will
frequently weigh three pounds if they have plenty to eat.

Buffalo are a higher priced fish than carp, the latter retailing in the large
cities as low as 5 cents a pound. Buffalo are a favorite fish in the south and_
large quantities are sent from Havana to Memphis, St. Louis, Lexington, At-
lanta and Vicksburg. Crappies, sun fish, and cat fish come next in point of
demand.

There are four wholesale dealers at Havana. These men own tug boats
and lease extensive fishing grounds, one man, Capt. John A. Schulte, himself
owning 3,000 acres and leasing as many more. Mr. Schulte has been in the
business there for thirty-two years and is reckoned to be worth fully $100,-
000.00. Each of these wholesale dealers own a large market boat, which is
stationed at the foot of Main street and here their fishermen come daily with
tug boats of fish, freshly caught.

At these market boats the fish are packed in boxes, 150 pounds of fish and
100 pounds of ice being placed in each box. Catfish are always skinned. Other
fish, when shipped east or north, are sent away whole, but for the western
and southern trade they are always dressed, that is they have their heads
taken off and their intestines removed. This is one of the peculiarities of the
trade. The freight on a car load of fish from Havana to New York averages
$235.00 per load.

Dealers own many boats and employ many fishermen. Quarter boats, that
is quarters for provisions and cooking, are sent out to the grounds, which are
not always in the Illinois river, some excellent grounds being located in ad-
jacent lakes and creeks. These men are paid good wages and like the life.
As in other occupations some save money and others are always in debt. it
depending on the man. It is claimed though that when a man once becomes
a regular fisherman he seldom goes into any other occupation. There are also
private fishermen who dispose of their catches to the dealers, but the lat-
ter are not numerous.

Fish are caught in seines and set nets, never by hook and line except by
amateurs. The state guard the fish rigidly, and inspectors watch every cateh
to see that all fish are of the proper length and size, others being returned
unharmed to.the water. No seines at all can be used during the spawning
season, which is from April 15 to June 1.

The fish heads. and intestines are used for fertilizers for garden patches and
as food for fowls, being much in demand. Seines are from 800 to 1,500 yards
long and eight men are required to make a haul. Usually 5,000 pounds of

fish is an average haul. These seines are thrown out from beats and are
drawn in to shore by hand. Seines are from twelve to twenty-four feet deep,
although lake seines are deeper than those used in the river. Seines cost
from $500 to $750 apiece and are made largely in Chicago, although some are
manufactured in Joliet and St. Louis. Set nets are made at home and sell for
about $7.00 each. Capt. Schulte has 300 nets and four seines. All seines and
nets are tarred twice a year in order to preserve them. Over 250 barrels of
tar are used each year for this purpose at Havana, it being shipped from Jack-
sonville, where it is produced by the gas company. Two hundred men are
employed the year round in fishing within ten miles of Havana.

It is said to be a fact that quite a portion of the Chesapeake bay, or dia-
mond back terrapins, which are served to gormets in fashionable restaurants
in Washington, Baltimore, Boston and New York, come from the Illinois river
at Peoria, Pekin, Havana and other points in this State. The price is usually
$1.50 a portion. The Illinois river has been stocked with diamond backed
terrapins and many hundreds of dozen are annually sent to eastern cities.

So far this vear 25,000 dozen turtles have been shipped east from points on
the [‘linois river. Of these a large number were terrapins, or as the boys call
them ‘‘mud turtles.” Pekin, Havana and Peoria together shipped 6,000 dozen
turtles, while Pekin sent 15,000 pounds of snapping turtles east. Terrapins
are a distinct breed, but it is said that turtles and terrapins look so much
alike that only experts can often tell the difference. It is also claimed that
when the price of the one is so very high and of the other quite low, that
they sometimes get mixed, either in shipping or else in the hands of the east-
ern dealers.

At the meetings of ne American Fisheries Society, at whose
annual meeting all matters of interest relating to the propagation and
protection of fishes are taken up and discussed, the carp question
seems to come up regularly as a question for discussion. When it is
considered that for years none but adverse reports on the carp had
been entertained by the members of this society and all kinds of
crimes had been attributed to this fish, it is pleasant to observe what
a radical change has taken place in public sentiment in regard to its
merits. The Pennsylvania Fish Commission has secured legislation

making it a misdemeanor to plant carp, and one of the members in
discussing the carp said: ‘I am stating the cold, hard fact, when I
saw that the legislature of Pennsylvania has practically declared it
an outlaw by prohibiting the planting of it any longer in our waters.”
On the other hand,a member from Michigan said: “I think the
carp was sent here as a blessing to the poor. The carp is here to
stay, and all the barrels of money we can open will not destroy them.
I like them and am going to keep on eating them.” Mr. Titcomb of
the U.S. Fish Commission said:

“IT did not intend to say anything on this carp question. It has been
thréskKed over at every meeting and still it comes up. I was only going to
“say that it seems to resolve itself into a sectional question: it is a sectional
issue. For instance, with our present knowledge of the carp, we would not
ship them to the waters of Maine, or the waters of Pennsylvania, but there
are a great many states in the Union where the carp today is a very valuable
food fish and where the people enjoy it on the table: there are places even
where they enjoy it.as a game fish to catch with hook and line. The United
States Bureau of Fisheries continues to receive applications for carp, which,
owing to this feeling in certain sections of the country and among the in-
fluential classes of sportsmen perhaps, are not distributed any longer: the
people who have asked for them then refuse to take any other fish in many
instances, and are often quite indignant because they can not have the carp.
‘Some of them persist until they find out where they can secure the carp and

22

take them to their own private ponds. But all through the west there are
waters that can be made very useful by the introduction of the carp, and
which otherwise are practically unproductive. I think I have told this story
once before the society, but I will tell it again. When I was president of a
fish and game association, all of the members sportsmen, some of them com-
missioners from the New England states. others commissioners of fisheries
from Canada, 224 in number, we sat down to a table on one occasion and ate
carp under the name of baked red snapper: most of them knew they were
not eating baked red snapper: some of the old lake fishermen told me they
thought they were eating white fish: another one said pike perch; all de-
clared them delicious. ‘As you know, a rose would smell as sweet by any
other name.’”

It is true carp are vegetable feeders and in small, clear lakes are
destructive to vegetation, and for such places or for small rivers. may
be, in some sense, objectionable, but the question with us is and has
been, are not the benefits derived greater than the damages? In the
natural adjustment of the fishes of our waters the percentage of
coarse fishes to the game varieties is largely in excess, but from
various causes this balance has been largely decreased, and to replace
this deficit is undoubtedly the proper work of the commission, and
the carp has been the means by which we have done it.

For many years the buffalo fish was the principal coarse fish of
our markets, and the most common one produced by Iilinois waters.
The time was when every blade of grass in the overflows from the
river was covered with their spawn, and the fish themselves were
seen in these shallow waters in thousands during the spawning or
“rolling” season. Then the people took them in thousands and with
almost every device available, and they were shipped to markets
mostly outside of the State, on commission, and as a rule only a
small proportion were realized on, the rest, owing to glutted markets,
were thrown away, an immense quantity of good food being thus lost
to the people of the State. This practice continued for years, until
the waters of the State were nearly depleted of this variety of fish.
and even after protective laws, preventing such wholesale destruction
were obtained, the increase was so slow that the output showed but
little gain. This loss to the market was made good by the introduc-
tion of the carp, which grows and increases rapidly, hardy, tenacious
of life, and defying unfavorable seasons, it has restored to the waters
the natural balance of the proportions of coarse fish to fine, so
rigidly held as a prime necessity to successful fish culture by the
scientific culturists. Now we have them in jarge quantities. They
are good food, good producers. They have some faults but more
good qualities, and as a money producer they are unequalled by any
or all of the other fishes of the Illinois inland water. If we, as
commissioners, are to deal with sentiment only and consider it our
duty to propagate and protect only such fishes as are of interest to
the anglers, eliminating the question of food supply from our work,
then perhaps the carp is a “mistake,” but if the law creating a fish
commission was made with a view to the interests of the people as a
whole, and the duty of that commission was to endeavor to make the

raters of the State produce their full share of food for the people,

then one of the wisest moves of the U.S. fish commission was in
introducing the carp, which is here to stay, and this fact will
ultimately be appreciated by the whole people.

23

Now, we do not wish to be understood as in any way antagonistic
to the angler element, or as dealing with their sport as a matter of
sentiment only. We believe in the protection of the game fishes and
in their development. but as one cannot well change nature’s laws,
and in the waters of Illinois it is impossible to raise game fishes
exclusively or in such numbers as to make them sufficient for the
necessary supply for food, why is it not economy to encourage the
coarse fish, which while producing good food and plenty of it, will fill
the waters to the limit of their capacity ?

With us carp are not spawn eaters, but do destroy vegetation, and
as stated, are detrimental to clear lakes and rivers, but they get into
them and we are doing the best we can to relieve the situation in
that. respect, as will appear by another section of this report.
Immense catches of carp are reported for the season of 1904, all
along the Illinois river. Bass are more plentiful than ever. This
seems to speak for itself as to results.

TURTLES.

It is time to call a halt as to the indiscriminate taking of turtles for
market. The time was when they were killed and thrown out on the
bank as fast as taken in the seine or net, considered absolutely worth-
less by the fishermen. Gradually they became of value until a good
market was found for all of them.

The last session of the General Assembly, on recommendation,
added the size limit to our law regulating sizes of fish, etc., to be
offered for sale. But along same lines formerly prevalent with the
taking of coarse fish they are now taken at all seasons of the year and
the supply is rapidly decreasing. They should be protected by a
close season, which together with size limit now in force, would pro-
tect and insure against complete extinction.

The common slider now finds ready sale in all large cities and
brought in competition, in a way, with the terrapin of the east.

Iturmois Exureit at LovistANA PURCHASE EXPOSITION.

The officers of Louisiana Purchase Exhibit erected a building de-
voted to forestry, fish and game and invited all states to join in an
exhibit of live fish, fishing apparatus, etc., Illinois with the rest; ap-
propriations varying from $10,000.00 to $25,000.00 were made by
several states for that purpose.

Your commissioners, however, feeling that as the U. S. Fish Com-
mission was contemplating a building especially fitted for a live fish
display and as the State Commission was codperating with them in
their general work, it would only be fair that anything we could offer
to do for the furtherance of such purpose would be only fair and
equitable.

Mr. Ravenel, the U. 8. Fish Commission’s representative on the
Government Board of Control, courteously offered us the use of three
of their fixed aquaria and imposed the following conditions. That
we, the Illinois Commission, were to make an exhibit of the commer-

24

cial and game fishes of the State, care of the exhibit to be maintained
by the U. S. Commission; that all fishes indigenous to this locality
should be furnished for their exhibit as well as our own and main-
tained so far as supply was concerned during the entire term, the use
of the aquaria and consequent care to be without expense to the Ili-
nois Commission: that the Illinois Commission should keep one mem-
ber of the commission there as much as possible to demonstate the
exhibit. This arrangement was carried out and the funds necessary
to carry out our part of the program were furnished by the Illinois
Commission to Louisiana Purchase Exposition from the amount ap-
propriated by the Legislature to erect a building, maintain proper
exhibit, ete. Senator Dunlap and colleagues were very courteous and
gave us all the assistance asked.

The exhibit at U. 8S. Fisheries building was labeled Illinois Fish
Commission Exhibit and the three aquaria turned over to us. The
space assigned us constituted about 1-20 of the whole space which
cost to equip and maintian close to $100,000.00. We kept our part
of the contract to the letter, using for a part of the time our steamer
Illinois to transport the live fish to St. Louis. A full report of con-
ditions and data in connection with our part of the exhibit is em-
bodied in a report made to them which we give herewith.

Str. Lovuts, Mo., Dee. 31. 1904.

Vo the Honorable Board of Illinois Commissioners, Louisiana Purchase Exposi-
tion, St. Lowis, Mo.:

We respectfully submit herewith our report on live fish exhibit made under
your direction.

The exhibit at the United States Fish Commission building was in the large
corner aquarium, situated in the southeast corner of the building, and the
two smaller aquaria immediately adjoining on the right and left.

In the larger aquarium, the commissioners decided to show the commercial
fishes of the State, that is to say, such fishes as were commonly used for ship-
ping, and found in greatest abundance, namely, the carp, buffalo, the coarser
catfishes, and dog-fish. The dog-fish in the last few years, has become a very
important factor in the food supply, having been previously thrown away as
worthless, but now extensively used by a class of people in the larger cities,
and sold alive under the name of grass bass. In this aquarium has been carried
for a period of seven months, perhaps the largest amount in weight ever carried
in aquarium for that length of time with so small percentage of loss.

In the smaller aquaria was shown the gamier fishes of the State, a list of
which comprises the black bass, crappie, sunfishes, yellow perch, white perch,
war mouth bass, and the two varieties of striped bass.

The aquaria has attracted a great deal of attention, particularly among those
who are interested in the subject of fish propagation and distribution, and
have given our people a better idea of what our State has producea in the
way of that, than could have been obtained by any other method.

In order to properly care for this aquarium, a large amount of time has
been needed on a part of the attendants. This has been furnished, of course,
by the United States Fish Commission without cost to your commission,
further than entailed by that part of our contract which provided that we
should furnish such fish as was needed for the various aquaria in the building.

The use of the steamer Illinois during the season has been almost continu-
ous in carrying fish from places where they were collected to St. Louis, has
been mainly the only practical way in which they could be delivered in
proper condition.

The water at St. Louis for the whole period of the exposition has been of
a character that has called for the strictest attention on the part of the em-
ployés. The process of clearing the water used by the St. Louis Water Com-
pany is of such a nature that the water comes to the building thoroughly

25

impregnated with chemicals, a very large quantity of lime being used for the
purpose of throwing down the solids in the water in their reservoirs, and has
frequently shown such strength that it has eaten the covering from some of
the zine appliances in the building. It has the effect of taking the mucous
coating off of the fishes, and is rapidly followed by the development of
fungus, if not properly cared for, results in the destruction of the fish itself
in a very short time.

The distance of the fair grounds from the river or from the depot, has
made the transportation of fish from either point to the World’s Fair grounds
expensive, but aside from that we have but little to complain of, as will be
noted from our accounts. The only feature of expense that we have asked
to have paid, other than the taking of fish, is that of coal used on steamer
Illinois, and cost of hauling.

Personal attention has been given the exhibit by the commissioners at least
two days of each week, frequently for the whole week, with a view to do
what we could to explain to those interested the scope and nature of our work.

The fishing industry of the State represents one of the greatest commercial
interests. First, the rivers of our State produce annually from 15,000,000 to
20,000,000 pounds of coarser fishes, which finds a market in the east, bought
at a price that affords good compensation to the fishermen along the rivers,
and from the fact that they are selling them dressed, enables the fishermen
to get a full price for the full weight of his sales. The gamier varieties, of
course, are shipped to larger markets, and have been selling fora good figure.
The output of the fish business in the city of Chicago has assumed gigantic
proportions. Fish food produced, as it is without material cost to the fisher-
men, is put upon the market at prices which make it a very cheap food, and
we feel authorized in saying that there is no more economical food-producing
source than that developed in the work of our commission. Comparisons are
always invidious, but we can hardly allow this report to pass from us with-
out saying that from the economical standpoint, Illinois has had the advan-
tage of any of the states having exhibits at the World’s Fair. At the forestry,
fish and game building, space was given for the purpose of making a live fish
display by all the states in the Union. A number of the states made an ap-
propriation ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 for the purpose of making a live
fish display. Part of the states proceeded to install their plant, make their
collections and undertake their exhibit. We regret to say that in a large
majority of instances they have failed, on account of not having the proper
means of aeration. Illinois, on the other hand, was fortunate enough to
make the arrangements mentioned with the United States Fish Commission,
and have been allotted a much fairer proportion of space than we could have
hoped to obtain without special interest being taken in our work, and have
given our exhibit the same care and attention that they gave their own, and
I think we can safely say, without exception, the general opinion, as has been
expressed, is that the exhibit of live fish of the United States Fish Commis-
sion (of which, of course, Illinois is a part) has been unequaled in the history
of aquaria in this country.

We, as commissioners, desire to thank your board for the great courtesy
extended us, and hope that what we have done will meet with your approval,
and prove to be in the end as practical as we think it has been. Financial
statement herewith attached.

Respectfully submitted,
N. H. Cornn, President.
S. P. BARTLETT, Secretary and Superintendent.
Commissioners.

26

STEAMER ILLINOIS.

The steamboat owned by the State and used in our work has
proved a valuable adjunct, both as to enforcement of the law and col-
lection of fish.

We append herewith her log for two seasons. A glance at it will
show she has not been idle. Officers same as given im our last
report:

Gro. T. WiiuiAms, Master and Pilot.
Wn. McKintey, Engineer.
F. GRUSSENMEYER, Mate.

No craft afloat has a better crew, ready at all times to do their

work, whether on the boat or with the seine, collecting fish.

SEASON OF 1903.

Log Steamer Illinois. Went into commission April 7 from winter quarters
in Quincey bay. Dropped down to landing to take on coal; took on 508
bushels; ran back to stockyards to take on circulating apparatus.

April 8, 9, 10, 11, 12—At reservation landing fitting pump and circulating
apparatus.

April 13—Ran over to West Quincy to bring over barge to reservation land-
ing. Left at 6:40 a. m.; laid at levee until 8:00 a. m. and left for Illinois
river. Arrived at Grafton at 3:45 p. m., 123 miles. ‘ook on trustees, engi-
neers and attorneys for drainage canal.

April 14—Left Grafton at 11:45; arrived at Hardin at 1:55; Kampsville at
3:50; Gravel Point at 4:35; Pearl at 5:20; Florence at 7:25. Miles run, fifty-
nine. ;

April 15—Left Florence at 6:05 a. m.; arrived Naples at 7:25: Meredosia at
8:50; Beardstown, 1:10 p. m.; Bath, 5:35; Havana, 7:05. Run eighty-two miles.

April 16—Left Havana at 6:10; Kingston, 11:10; took on 550 bushels coal;
arrived Peoria at 12:55. Run fifty miles.

April 17—Left Peoria at 6:40; Chillicothe at 8:25; Lacon, 10:10; Henry,
11:50; Peru, 3:40; Peoria, 8:45. Run 140 miles.

April 18, 19, 20, 2i—Laid at Peoria.

April 22—Left Peoria for Peru; arrived Peoria at 10:15. Run 160 miles.

April 23, 24, 25—Laid at Peoria.

April 26—Left Peoria for Chillicothe at 7:30 a. m.; arrived Peoria 7:15. Run
forty miles.

April 27—Left Peoria for Pekin at 8:10; arrived Peoria at 5:30. Run
twenty-two miles.

April 28—Laid at Peoria.

April 29—Left Peoria at 7:20; Kingston, 8:50; took 625 bushels coal; Ha-
vana, 12:30. Run fifty miles.

April 30—Left Havana, 4:50; Beardstown, 7:23; Meredosia, 9:35; Havana,
4:45; Quiver Lake, 5:25. Run 126 miles.

May 1—Quiver Lake, 6:05; Kingston, 8:20; Peoria, 11:03; Peru, 6:05; Peoria,
11:10 a. m. Run 121 miles.

May 2-8—Laid up at Peoria fishing for small fish. In and out. Run for
week 160 miles.

May 5-13—In and out Pekin collecting small fish. Run during week fifty-
five miles.

May 14—Left Pekin at 5:25; Beardstown, 10:05; 515 bushels coal; Mere-
dosia, 12:25; laid up for night. Run ninety miles.

May 15-17—Laid up at Meredosia.

May 18—Left Meredosia at 4:05; Kampsville, 7:45; Grafton, 10:15; Hardin,
1:50; Kampsville Lock, 4:25; Kampsville, 4:50; Naples, 9:00 p. m.; Meredosia,
9:55 p.m. Run 158 miles.

May 19—Left Meredosia at 8:10; Lagrange Lock, 8:50; Beardstown, 10:10;
Bath, 2:38; Havana, 4:00; Kingston Mines, 8:15; took on 735 bushels coal.
Run eighty miles.

27

May 20—Kingston, 4:50: Pekin, 5:35; Peoria, 12:23; Chillicothe, 3:30; Lacon,
5:10; Henry, 6:32; Peoria, 9-30. Run 101 miles.

May 20, 21—Laid at Peoria.

May 22—Left Peoria at 4:25; Havana, 8:00 a.m. Run fifty miles.

May 23—Left Havana, 7:07; Cut road, 7:14 a. m.; Havana, 7:00 p. m. Fish-
ing. Run fifteen miles.

May 24—Left Havana at 6:45; Quiver Lake, 7:00 a. m,; Kingston, 12:10;
Pekin, 3:00; Peoria, 4:15; took on 455 bushels coal. Run fifty miles.

May 25—Left Peoria, 10:08; Beardstown, 4:20 p. m.; Lagrange Locks, 5:28;
Meredosia, 6:20. Run 113 miles.

May 26-June 2—In and out Meredosia collecting fish for distribution. Run
161 miles.

June 2—Left Meredosia, 5:38 p. m.; Lagrange Locks, 6:40 p. m.: Beards-
town, 8:05 p.m. Run twenty miles.

June 3—Left Beardstown at 1:05 p. m.; arrived Havana at 4:20 p.m. Run
forty-three miles.

June 4—Left Havana at 6:15 a. m.; Kingston Mines, 8:55; Peoria, 12:01;
took on 395 bushels coal. Run fifty miles.

June 5-11—Laid at Peoria; In and out, collecting fish and enforcement of
the law. Runs, 137 miles.

June 12—Left Peoria at 3:18 p. m.; Pekin, 4:08; Havana, 7:20; Beardstown,
11:25. Run ninety-three miles.

June 13—Left Beardstown at 5:53 a. m.; Meredosia, 7:20 a. m.; Peari, 10:00
a. m.; Kampsville, 4:05 p. m.; Bedford, 6:25 p. m. Run seventy-nine miles.

June 14—Left Bedford at 6:40 a. m.; Meredosia, 10:15 a. m.; Meredosia, Bay
Narrows, 11:40 a. m.; Meredosia, 1:35 p. m. Run thirty-five miles.

June 15—Left Meredosia at 8:50 a. m.; Beardstown, 10:30 a. m.; Peoria, 6:45
p.m, Run 111 miles.

June 16—Left Peoria 10:10 a. m.; Kingston, 11:00 a. m. Took on 425 bushels
of coal. Havana, 4:35 p. m.; Quiver Lake, 5:20 p. m. Run fifty-three miles.

June 17—Left Quiver Lake at 7:10 a. m.: Beardstown, 10:20; Riverside Park,
6:20 p. m.: Havana, 8:00 p.m. Run eighty-nine miles.

June 18—Left Havana at 7:00 a. m.; Kingston, 9:50 a. m.; took on 340
bushels of coal. Tonta, 3:38 p. m.; Peoria, 6:03 p.m. Run sixty-two miles.

June 19-25—In and out of Peoria fishing. Runs 191 miles.

June 26—Left Peoria at 10:25 a. m.;: Haines’ Landing, 3:07 p. m.; Havana,
4:30 p. m.; Quiver Beach, 7:15. Run seventy-four miles.

June 27—Left Quiver Beach at 11:15 a. m.; Kingston, 2:00 p. m.: Peoria, 5:00
p.m. Run forty-seven miles.

June 28— Left Peoria at 7:25 a. m.: Liverpool, 9:50 a. m.; Mud Lake, 10:00
a. m.; Quiver Beach, 10:50 a. m. Run forty-seven miles.

June 29—Quiver Beach, 7:30; Havana, 7:40; Peoria, 1:15. Run fifty-three
miles.

June 29-July 2—Laid at Peoria; in and out fishing. Runs 131 miles.

July 3—Left Peoria at 10:15 a. m.; Quiver Beach, 1:55. Run forty-eight
miles.

July 4—Laid up.

July 5—Left Quiver Beach at 9:10 a. m.; Kingston, 11:45, a. m.; Peoria, 6:35
p- m. Run seventy-two miles.

July 6—Left Peoria at 11:28 a. m.; Henry Lock, 2:50 p. m.; Peru, 5:55 p. m.
Run seventy miles.

Juiy 7—Left Peru at 1:20 p. m.; Henry Lock, 3:50 p. m.; Peoria, 7:14 p. m.
Run seventy miles.

July 8—Left Peoria at 10:10 a. m.; Pekin, 11:50; Kinston Mines, 12:55. Took
on 395 bushels coal. Peoria, 5:25 p.m. Run forty-five miles.

July 9—Left Peoria at 9:45 a. m.; Quiver Beach, 4:30 p.m. Run forty-eight
miles.

July 10—Left Quiver Beach at 3:45 a. m.; Pekin, 7:08 a. m.; Peoria, 8:45 a.
m.; Henry Lock, 12:30; Peru, 4:15; Spring Valley, 7:30 p. m. Laid up for
storm. Run 128 miles.

July 11—Left Spring Valley, 4:50 a. m.; Henry Lock, 6:45 a. m.; Peoria,
10:10 a. m.; Kingston Mines, 2:12 p. m.; took on 540 bushels coal; Beards-
town, 8:55 p.m. Run 158 milés.

28

July 12—Left Beardstown at 5:08 a. m.; LaGrange Lock, 6:08; Meredosia.
6:55; Kampsville, 10:30; Grafton, 1:30; St. Louis, 5:15. Run 132 miles.

July 13—Left St. Louis at 12:15 p. m.; Madison upper light, 2:25 p. m.:
Alton, 5:20. Run twenty-five miles.

July 14—Left Alton at 9:17 a. m.; Grafton, 11:00 a. m. Run fifteen miles.

July 15—Left Grafton at 5:55 a. m.; Hardin, 8:10 a. m.; Kampsville Lock,
6:25 p. m.; Kampsviile, 6:45 p. m. Run thirty miles.

July 17—Left Kampsville at 11:50 p. m.; Gravel Point; Pearl 4:25. Run
twelve miles.

July 18—Left Pearl at 4:25 a. m.; Valley City, 6:40 a. m.; Naples, 7:15 a. m.;
Meredosia, 10:42. Run thirty miles.

July 19—Laid up over Sunday. =

July 20—Left Meredosia at 8:50 a. m.; LaGrange Lock, 9:35 a. m.; Beards-
town, 1:20 p. m.; Bath, 10:10. Run fifty-three miles.

July 2i—Left Bath at 8:10 a. m.; Havana, 9:12 a. m.; Kingston Mines, 5:30
p. m.; took on 605 bushels coal; Kingston Bay, 7:00 p. m.; Pekin, 9:37 p. m.
Run fifty miles.

July 22—Left Pekin at 4:49 p. m.; Peoria, 5:53 p. m. Run twelve miles.

July 23—Left Peoria at 9:12 a. m.; Chillicothe, 10:53 a. m. Run eighteen
miles.

July 24—Left Chillicothe at 5:59 a. m.; Lacon, 6:43 a. m.; Henry, 11:23 a. m.:
Peoria, 9:30 p.m. Run sixty-two miles.

July 27—Left Peoria at 9:45 a. m.; Kingston Mines, 11:20 a. m.; took on 225
bushels coal; Copperas Creek Lock, 4:37 p. m.; Quiver Beach, 11:40 p.m. Run
seventy miles.

July 28—Left Quiver Beach at 7:45 a. m.; Thompson’s Lake, 8:15: Bath,
11:30; Stewart Lake, 3:12; Havana, 5:40 p.m. Run, fifty-six miles.

July 29—Left Havana at 8:50 a. m.; Copperas Creek lock, 10:45 a. m.; oppo-
site Kingston, 1:20 p. m.; Pekin, 4:50 p. m.; laid up opposite Pekin. Run,
forty miles.

July 30—Left Pekin at 11:00 a. m.; at break in levee below Pekin, 11:20 a.
m.; lake above Pekin, 1:10 p. m.; Peoria, 5:50. Run, twenty miles. 3

Aug. 4—Left Peoria at 9:38 a. m.; Kingston Mines, 11:25 a. m.; took on 595
bushels coal. Copperas Creek lock, 3:15: Havana, 5:20. Run, fifty miles.

Aug. 5—Left Havana at 3:15 p. m.; Beardstown, 5:56 p. m. Run, fonty-
three miles.

Aug. 6—Left Beardstown at 7:38 a. m.; LaGrange lock, 8:32; Meredosia,
9:25 a. m.; Kampsville lock, 2:30 p.m. Run, sixty miles.

Aug. 7—Left Kampsville lock at 5:20 a. m.; Grafton, 8:10 a. m.; Clarksville
(Mississippi river), 3:15 p. m.; Marion City Island, 8:20 p. m.; laid up for
night. Run, 141 miles.

Aug. 8—Marion City Island, 5:50 a. m.; Quincy, Quincey bay, Reservation
landing, 9:00 a. m. Run, ten miles. ,

Sept. 12—Left quarters in bay at 2:30 p. m.; took on 437 bushels coal. Run,
one mile.

Sept. 13—Left Quincey at 6:55 p. m.; Sni Ecarte, 7:53 a. m.; Clarksville, 11:15
a. m.; Hardin (Illinois river), 6:05 p. m. Run, 140 miles.

Sept. 14—Left Hardin at 6:20 a. m.; Kampsville, 7:20 a. m.: Meredosia, 12:00
a. m.; LaGrange Lock, 1:10 p. m.; Havana, 6:05 p. m. Run, 106 miles.

Sept. 15—Left Havana at 5:15 a. m.; Kingston Mines, 7:50 a. m.; Henry
Lock, 2:40 p, m.; Peru, 5:50 p. m. Run, 120 miles.

Sept. 16—Left Peru at 12:50 p. m.; Peoria, 5:42 p.m. Run, 70 miles.

Sept. 17—Left Peoria at 7:30 a. m.; Pekin, 8:20 a. m.; Kingston Mines, 9:45
p. m.; LaGrange Lock, 4:02 p. m.; Kampsville, 8:10 p.m. Run, 156 miles.

Sept. 18—Left Kampsville at-7:50 a. m.; Maple Island, 12:25 p. m.; St. Louis,
2:10 p.m, Run, seventy-five miles. :

Sept. 19—Left St. Louis at 3:10 p. m.; Electric Car Company landing, 4:00
p. m.; Alton, 7:20. Run, twenty-five miles.

Sept. 20—Left Alton, 7:20 a. m.; Kampsville, 12:00: Pearl, 1:33 p. m.; Mere-
dosia, 4:45 p. m.; La Grange Locks, 5:25 p. m.; Beardstown, 7:17 p.m. Run,
115 miles.

Sept. 21—Left Beardstown at 7:45 a. m.; Kingston Mines, 1:48 p. m.; Peoria,
4:18 p. m.; run, ninety-three miles. om

20)

me

Sept. 24—Left Peoria at 3:28; Kingston Mines, 4:53; took on 225 bushels
coal; Peoria, 7:54 p. m. Run, forty miles.

Sept. 25—Left Peoria at 5:00 a. m.; Peru, 10:44; Peoria, 6:22 p. m. Run, 140
miles.

Sept. 26—Left Peoria at 9:15 a. m.; Pekin, 10:05 a. m.; Kingston Mines,
10:45 a. m.; took on 225 bushels coal; Havana, 2:45 p. m. ~Run, fifty miles.

Sept. 27—Left Havana at 6:45 a. m.; Peoria, 11:21 a.m. Run, fifty miles.

Oct. 3—Left Peoria at 10:15 a. m.; Rome Flats, 11:30 a. m.; Henry, 4:05 p.
m. Run, forty miles.

Oct. 4—Left Henry at 5:50; Peru, 8:35 a. m.; Hennepin, 10:15; Peoria, 2:30
p.m. Run, 104 miles.

Oct. 6—Left Peoria at 8:35 a. m.; Kingston Mines, 10:10 a. m.; Havana, 2:20
p.m. Run, fifty miles.

Oct. 7—Left Havana at 6:45 a. m.; La Grange Locks, 10:25 a. m.; Meredosia,
11:10 a. m.; Naples, 2:45 p.m. Run, sixty-nine miles.

Oct. 8—Left Naples at 8:53 a. m.; Meredosia, 9:30 a. m.; La Grange Locks,
10:40 a. m.; Beardstown, 12:05 p. m.; Havana, 5:08 p. m. Run sixty-nine miles.

Oct. 9—Left Havana at 7:20 a. m.; Browning, 9:05 a. m.; Beardstown, 10:05
a. m.; LaGrange Locks, 1:45 p. m.; Meredosia, 2:30 p. m.; Naples, 3:50 p. m.; .
Meredosia, 4:50 p. m. Run, seventy-five miles.

Oct. 10—Left Meredosia at 8:00 a. m.; LaGrange Locks, 8:45 a. m.; Havana,
1:45 p. m. Run, sixty-three miles.

Oct. 11—Left Havana at 6:20 a. m.; Kingston Mines, 9:05 a. m.; Peoria, 1:00
p.m. Run, fifty-two miles.

Oct. 12—Left Peoria at 9:25 a. m.; Pekin, 10:15 a. m.; Havana, 1:45 p. m.;
Peoria, 7:00 p.m. Run, 104 miles.

Oct. 13—Left Peoria at 8:10 a. m.; Henry Lock, 11:25 a. m.; Spring Valley.
1:55 p. m.: Peoria, 6:42 p.m. Run, 130 miles.

Oct. 14—Left Peoria at 11:15; Kingston Mines, 12:40 p. m.; Havana, 5:00 p.
m. Run, fifty-two miles.

Oct. 15—Left Havana at 7:20 a. m.; Beardstown, 10:05 a. m.; LaGrange
Locks, 11:48 a. m.; Hardin, 4:45 p. m. Run, 113 miles.

Oct. 16—Left Hardin at 5:15 a. m.; Cincinnati Landing (Mississippi river),
5:40 p.m. Run, 105 miles.

Oct. 17—Cineinnati Landing, 6;40 a. m.; Quiney, 11:10 a. m. Run, thirty-
five miles. ;

Nov. 5—Left Quiney at 9:40 a. m.; Buzzard’s Island, 1:45 p. m.:; Quiney, 5:10.
Run, fifty-four miles.

Noy. 6—Left Buzzard’s Island, 10:45 a. m.; Quincey, 4:15. Run, fifty-four
miles.

Nov. 7—Went into winter quarters in Quincy bay.

Total mileage, 7,183.

Number of trips, 94.

LOG STEAMER ILLINOIS FOR SEASON OF 1904.

April 16—Left quarters in Quincy bay and ran down to levee at Quincy:
took on 483 bushels coal at 7:05 a. m. Returned to reservation landing at
12:50 p. m.

April 21-24—Left landing in Quincey bay at 6:37 a. m. East Hannibal, 8:05.
Collecting fish for exhibit at World’s Fair. Run twenty-one miles.

April 25—Ran to Hannibal bay 6:35; took on such fish as had been collected
there. Ran to Whitney Crossing, raised nets. East Hannibal, 11:15 a. m.:
took on our small boats. Hannibal, 11:50 a. m., for supplies. East Hannibal
at 1:50; took on our load. Run twenty-two miles.

April 26-27—Left East Hannibal at 4:50 a. m.; arrived Grafton 11:35 a. m.,
leaving at 1:00 p. m.; arrived East St. Louis at 3:35 p. m., and laid up below
Eads bridge. Water very high; loaded fish into car for exposition. Run 145
miles.

April 28—Left East St. Louis at 12:45 p. m.; ran to Alton, 4:00 p. m.; De
Capegrass, 8:00 p.m. Runseventy-five miles.

30

April 29—Left De Capegrass at 4:15 a. m.; arrived at Quincey bay at 2:14 p.
m. Run ninety-seven miles.

May 4—Left Quiney bay at 7:20 a. m. Went to levee and took on 236 bush-
els coal; raised landing barge; returned to landing.

May 5—Left Quincy bay at 8:35 a.m. Ran to Canton, 10:25 a. m,; Buzzards
Island, 2:05 p. m.; returned to Quincy at 5:25 p. m. Run sixty-two miles.

May 6-17—In and out of Quincy collecting fish. Rums 201 miles.

May 18—Took on supplies and 111 bushels coal.

May 19—Left Quincy at 8:35 a. m.; arrived at St. Louis at 7:22 p.m Run
165 miles,

May 22—Left St. Louis at 4:00 a. m.; arrived at Havana at 8:40 p.m. Run
175 miles.

May 23—Left Havana 5:00 a. m.; Kingston Mines, 7:15 a. m.; took on 375
bushels coal; Peoria, 10:50 a. m.; Havana, 5:30 p. m.; Beardstown, 8:10 p. m.
Run 143 miles.

May 25—Left Beardstown at 7:00 a. m.; Meredosia, 9:00 a. m.; Grafton, 4:00
p. m.; Alton, 5:00 p. m.; St. Louis, 6:45 p.m. Run 143 miles.

May 28—Left St. Louis 2:00 p. m. Ran to Maple Island, 4:55 p. m.; St.
Louis, 6:25 p. m. Run forty-eight miles.

May 29—Left St. Louis 5:10 a. m. Ran to Louisiana, Mississippi river, 4.55
p.m. Laid up for night. Run 115 miles.

May 30—Left Louisiana 4:55 a.m. Ran to Quincy 10:05 a. m. Washed boil-
ers. Run fifty miles.

May 31-June 12—In and out of Quincey collecting fish. Runs 202 miles.

June 13-—-Left Quincy at 3:00 a. m.; arrived at St. Louis at 2:10 p. m.; took
on 630 bushels coal; delivered fish. Run 165 miles.

June 17—Left St. Louis at 3:55 a.m. Ran to Grafton, 8:30 a. m.; Kamps-
ville Locks, 11:50 a. m.; Meredosia, 4:20 p. m.; waiting orders. Run 121 miles.

June 21—Left Meredosia at 10:35 a. m. Ran to Meredosia bay: followed
fishermen and took on fish at U. S. station; returned to Meredosia. Run four
miles. =

June 22—Left Meredosia at 3:05 a. m.; Kampsville, 6:25 a. m.; St. Lonis,
12:05 p. m.; took on 400 bushels coal; delivered fish. Run 121 miles.

June 23—Left St. Louis 8:20 a. m.; Kampsville. 3:55 p. m.; Meredosia, 8:20 p.
m. Run 121 miles. ’

June 25—Left Meredosia at 8:05 a. m.; La Grange Locks. 8:45 a. m.; Beards-
town, 10:08 a. m. Run twenty miles.

June 26—Left Beardstown at 5:20 a. m.; Kingston Mines, 11:25 a. m.; Peoria
2:05 p. m. Run ninety-three miles.

June 27—Left Peoria at 9:18 a. m.; La Grange, 4:42 p. m.; Meredosia, 5:30 p.
m.; Kampsville, 9:10 p. m. Run 133 miles.

June 28—Left Kampsville at 5:05 a. m.; Kampsville Loeks, 5:10 a. m.; Har-
din, 6:25 a. m.; Grafton, 8:55 a. m.; Alton, 10:50 a. m.; St. Louis, 12:30 p. m.
Delivered fish to exposition. Run eighty miles.

June 30—Left St. Louis at 4:05 a. m.; Kampsville, 11:55 a. m.; Meredosia,
4:30 p.m. Waiting orders. Run 121 miles.

July 6—Left Meredosia at 6:45 a. m.; landed at Valley City: met commis-
sioners; Kampsville, 12:18 p. m.: St. Louis, 6:05 p.m. Run, 121 miles.

July 9—Left St. Louis at 4:05 a. m.; Kampsville, 11:50 a. m.; Meredosia,
4:30 p.m. Run, 121 miles.

July 12—Left Meredosia at 4:47 a. m.; Kampsville, 8:15 a. m.; Grafton, 11:00
a. m.; St. Louis, 1:59 p. m.; delivered fish to fair grounds. Run, 121 miles.

July 17—Left St. Louis at 8:00 a. m.; Fort Gage, 12:05 p. m.; Chester, 12:20
p. m.; Fort Gage, 3:00 p. m.; St. Louis, 11:25 p. m. Run, 160 miles.

July 18—Left St. Louis at 4:00 a. m.; Kampsville, 12:00; Meredosia, 4:20;
waiting for fish. Run, 121 miles.

July 29—Left Meredosia at 8:55 a. m.; Kampsville, 12:55 p. m.; Grafton, 5:25.
Run, 81 miles.

July 30—Left Grafton at 5:08 a. m.; St. Louis, 8:10 a. m. Run, 45 miles.

Aug. 3—Left St. Louis at 1:15 p. m.: Grafton, 5:05 p. m.; Kampsville, 9:45
p. m.; Meredosia, 2:30 a. m. Run, 121 miles.

Aug. 5—Left Meredosia at 9:10 a, m.; Naples, 9:35 a, m.; Kampsville, 12:15
p- m.; Alton, 4:50 p. m.: St. Louis; 6:37 p. m. Run, 121 miles.

dl

Aug. 8—Left St. Louis at 8:35 a. m.; Grafton, 1:20 p. m.; Kampsville, 6:00
p. m.; Meredosia, 11:45 p.m. Run, 121 miles.

Aug. 9—Left Meredosia at 8:15 a. m.; LaGrange Locks, 8:55 a. m.; Havana,
1:45 p. m.; Copperas Creek Locks, 3:15 p. m.; Peoria, 7:30 p. m. Run, 115
miles.

Aug. 10—Left Peoria at 9:00 a. m.; Kingston Mines, 10:40 a. m.; took on 250
bushels coal; Copperas Creek Locks, 12:20 p. m.; Beardstown, 4:55 p. m.;
LaGrange Locks, 6:00 p. m.; Kampsville, 10:00 p. m. Run, 155 miles.

Aug. 11—Left Kampsville at 5:10 a. m.; Grafton, 8:30°a. m.; St. Louis, 12:30
p.m. Run, 80 miles.

Aug: 13—Left St. Louis at 4:05 a. m.; Grafton, 9:00 a. m.; Kampsville, 1:10
p. m.; Meredosia, 6:00 p. m. Run, 121 miles.

; Aug. 15—Left Meredosia at 5:25 a. m.; arrived at St. Louis, 3:10 p. m.; de-
livered fish; took on 468 bushels coal. Run, 121 miles.

Aug. 20—Left St. Louis at 12:40 p. m.; Quiver Island, 7:50 p. m.; took on
500 bushels coal. Run sixty miles.

Aug. 21—Left Quiver Island at 4:30 a. m.; Quiney bay, 4:45 p. m. Run 100
miles.

Aug. 23—Left Quincey at 7:50 a. m.; Koekuk, 1:10 p. m.: Quiney, 8:05 p. m.
Run ninety miles.

Aug. 25—Left Quincey bay at 6:20 a. m.; arrived at Hardin, 6:05 p.m. Run
144 miles.

Aug. 26—Left Hardin at 5:20 a. m.; Beardstown, 1:30 p. m. Run eighty-
four miles. :

Aug. 28—Left Beardstown at 5:00 p. m.; Meredosia, 7:30; took on load fish;
Kampsville Locks, 12:55 p. m.; St. Louis, 6:50 p, m.; delivered fish and took
on 735 bushels coal. Run 141 miles.

' Aug. 31—Left St. Louis at 4:15 a. m.; Meredosia, 5:36 p. m.; Beardstown,
8:50 p. m. Run 141 miles.

Sept. 1—Left Beardstown at 5:40 a. m.; Meredosia, 7:30 p. m.. waiting
orders. Run forty miles.

Sept. 5—Left Meredosia at 8:40; collecting fish above Pearl Bridge and
returned to Meredosia. Run sixty miles.

Sept. 12—Left Meredosia at 8:55 a. m.; LaGrange Locks, 9:40 a. m.; Beards-
town, 11:07; Idlewild, 2:00 p. m.; LaGrange Locks, 9:55 p. m.: Meredosia,
10:55. Run 100 miles.

Sept. 13—Left Meredosia at 7:00 a. m.: Kampsville, 10:50 a. m,; Brick House
Club, 1:40 p. m.; Stag Island, 6:00 p.m. Run 123 miles.

Sept. 14—Left Stag Island, 5:30; Quincy bay, 3:50. Run eighty miles.

Sept. 17—Left Quincey bay at 9:00 a. m.; Louisiana, 5:35 p. m. Run fifty
miles,

Sept. 18—Left Louisiana at 7:05 a. m.; Alton, 2:05 p. m.; waiting orders.
Run eighty-eight miles.

Sept. 19—Left Alton at 6:35 a. m.; Grafton, 8:28 a. m.; Hardin, 11:00 a. m.;
Grafton, 1:50 p. m.; Alton, 3:15 p.m. Run eighty-nine miles.

Sept. 23—Left Alton at 3:53 p. m.: Pearl, 10:15; took on 687 bushels coal.
Run seventy miles.

Sept. 24—Left Pearl, 5:25 a. m.: Meredosia. 8:35 a.m. Run thirty miles.

Sept. 27—Left Meredosia at 10:00 a. m.; LaGrange Locks, 10:45 a. m..
Beardstown, 12:10 p. m.; Frederick, 4:35 p. m.; LaGrange Locks, 5:48; Mere-
dosia. 6:55 p. m.; Hardin, 11:45 p. m. Run 102 miles.

Sept. 28—Left Hardin at 6:10 a. m.; St. Louis, 10:48 a. m.; took on 1,156
bushels coal. Run sixty-five miles.

Sept. 29—Left. St. Louis at 10:45 a. m.; Alton, 1:48 p. m.; St. Louis, 3:05 p.
m. Run forty-four miles.

Sept. 30—Left St. Louis at 7:20 a. m.; Grafton, 11:50 a. m.; Cincinnati land-
ing, 10:00 p. m. Run 130 miles.

Oct. 1—Left Cincinnati at 5:15 a. m.; Quincy bay, 9:00 a.m, Run thirty-
five miles.

Oct. 2-12—In and out Quincy collecting fish. Run 190 miles.

Oct. 13—Left Quiney bay at 4:30 a. m.; St. Louis, 4:50 p. m.; took on 450
bushels coal, Run 165 miles.

Oct. 18—Left St. Louis at 7:45 a. m.; Quincey, 1:30 a.m. Run 165 miles.

Oct. 19—Left Quincy at 2:15 p. m.; Hannibal, 3:40; Quincy, 5:20. Run forty
miles.

Oct. 21—Left Quincy 5:18 a. m.; Sterling Island, 11:35 a. m.: St. Louis. 6:05
p- m.; took on 570 bushels coal. Run 165 miles.

Oct. 23—Left St. Louis at 9:50 a. m.; Grafton, 2:45 p. m.: Kampsville. 6:38
p-m. Run ninety-five miles.

Oct. 24—Left Kampsville at 5:60 a. m.; LaGrange Locks, 10:02 a. m.: Beards-
town, 11:26 a. m.; LaGrange Locks, 2:30 p. m.; Meredosia, 3:15 p. m. Run
eighty miles.

Oct. 25—Lett Meredosia at 8:40 a. m.: Kampsville, 12:25 p. m.: Alton, 4:50

p.m. Run ninety-eight miles.
Oct. 27—Left Alton at 6:40 a. m.; St. Louis, 8: 20 a. m. Delivered fish to
St. Louis Exposition. Took on 690 bushels coal. Run twenty-five miles.

Nov. 5—Left St. Louis at 8:20; Harrisburg, 6:45 p. m. Run ninety miles.

Nov. 6—Left Harrisburg at 6:00 p. m.; Quincy bay. 4:15 p. m. Run seventy-
five miles.

Noy. 15—Went into winter quarters in Quincy bay.

Total miles rum for S€asomss: 0.04032 sls's ae ia o> 2 eelekele = = ote 7,312
Numiber: Of trips's..% tei. se. 2 een sears cle ew siele siete eles shales 2 eke oe 75
Days collecting fish... ...5.600. o6 2s esis able oom 0 0 ole 50 else + 5 ole 31

POLLUTION OF STREAMS.

Again your commissioners would respectfully call attention to the
great damage to fish ensuing from pollution of the streams of the
State, and urge such legislation as will correct the abuse. We have
of course, only to do with the fish, but from every other point of view
the matter should have consideration. There can be no doubt that
as a means of breeding disease it is one of the most productive of
sources. The beautiful cold, clear rivers of the State are fast becom-
ing only common sewers, and cannot help being a menace to life and
health. If there were no other means than the use of the rivers to
care for sewerage and refuse, it would be a different proposition, but
with septic devices that will care for it and do it well, there weuld
seem to be no reason why proper legislation should not be had
Water foul enough to kill fish should be hint enough to localities that
serious consequences would follow in other directions. We are ap-
pealed to frequently to assist in preventing the use of such streams
for the refuse coming from manufactories, etc., along these steams,
but we are powerless to officially help them. The only relief seems
to be a suit to abate nuisances which we cannot maintain as commis-
sioners. It is a serious question and should be considered.

REMOVAL OF OBJECTIONABLE FISH,

Our methods permitting and of supervision of removal of objection-
able fishes is meeting with favor and practical results. From a large
number of places requests for such permits come to us, and as the
coarse fish so taken are of value sufficient to compensate the warden
whom we designate, for his services, no expense to the State is made.
In Fox Lake and region, Mr. M. Henry Kleine of Chicago, has had
the matter in charge, and as will be indicated by his reports herewith,
the work has been done in a thorough and intelligent manner under
his supervision. Mr. Kleine, one of the prominent business men of

33

Chicago, who with others like him, have magnificient homes on Fox
Lake, has taken a deep interest in fish matters connected with that
region and has given valuable time to it. Our commission feels
under great obligations to him.

LAKE MICHIGAN.

Efforts to enforce the law relating to Lake Michigan have heen
kept up and the very best results have followed our efforts. We are
assured that conditions are better than for years and with anything
like uniform laws, in a few years white fish and lake trout will again
be taken in territory covered by the State, for the past twenty years
almost extinct.

Mr. A. Booth, one of the pioneer fish dealers of Chicago, has re-
peatedly stated that the first few years of his business in Chicago it
was not unusual for boats to go out in vicinity of Chicago and take
full loads of these fishes. The various means to take at all times of
seasons causing an immense drain on resources, the pollution of the
water and other causes having as stated nearly depleted the waters.

THE FISH MARKET OF CHICAGO.

The city of Chicago is unique in many ways, but it stands alone
in one thing, viz., the Jewish fish market, where the Bohemians,
Poles and Hebrews go to buy their fish. There is nothing like it in
the United States. South Jefferson street, from Twelfth to Maxwell
street, on one side of the street is lined with small, dingy buildings
one story high, in which the retail fish merchant displays his stock
of fresh water fish. On the outside is a stand on which the fish of
all kinds are piled and mixed indiscriminately—black bass, black fins,
bullheads, crappies, herring, mullet, pike, pickerel, perch, rock bass,
suckers, sheepsheads, suntish, trout, whitefish, and white bass. On
the inside of the store are tanks, where the live buffalo, carp and ~
dogfish are displayed, and the customer selects the fish, it is caught
in a net, then wrapped in newpapers (a large pile being always on
hand), and given to the customer, who takes the live carp and walks
out of the store feeling sure of its being fresh. After the fish is
wrapped in the paper it is perfectly quiet, although just previously
it may prove highly pugnacious in its efforts to escape from its cap-
tor with the net. Possibly its new surroundings may numb its facul-
ties or maybe it is smothered in the close wrappings of the paper.
This is all the more strange as the carp will live longer out of the
water than any other fish. Its tenacity is proverbial. The buyers
-are of all kinds, from the poor woman that takes two or three small
suckers, to the prosperous merchant’s wife, who brings her basket
for a mess of black bass at 14 cents a pound or live carp at from 8 to
10 cents.

All go through the same routine of buying, selecting the live fish
or taking up the dead fish in their fingers, examining it, smelling it
to test its freshness, then handing over to the salesman the quantity

—3 FC

d4

of fish selected, who wraps it up in old newspapers and hands the
fish over to the customer, taking pay for the same invariably in
silver. The whole transaction is free from wrangling, for the cus-
tomer selects his own fish and is to blame if it is not satisfactory.

Many stands arc located on the curb along the street, where only
dead fish are sold. The side streets in the neighborhood have also
their stands. The fish are usually bought from the West Side Fish
Company at a uniform price and sold for one price by all the dealers.
The small dealers mix up several kinds of fish in one lot and cry out
the price—three, four, or five cents a pound, as the case may be.
The dealer that has the strongest voice usually sells the most fish.
The stores handle the best quality, some of them selling live fish, the
quality being graded down to the poorest as the small dealer is
reached, who only has a pushcart to sell from.

In the season some of the retail merchants handle cured herrings,
including Scotch and Holland. They display the fish in a barrel on
the sidewalk, as in fresh fish. They are also subject to examination.
Thousands of barrels are sold annually.

There are more fresh water fish sold in this market than in any
other place in the United States. During the holidays it is not un-
usual to see ten thousand people buying fish. They always pay cash
and take their purchases with them. Every one interested in the
fishing industry should visit this market. It is one of the sights of
Chicago.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

We desire to acknowledge the great assistance given us by the
United States Fish Commission in use of their cars and crews in
making our distribution, also to uniform courtesy in rendering any
assistance possible in our work. The commission has cdoperated
with us in every way.

To the various railroad managements of the State we are deeply
indebted. We have had valuable aid and assistance in our distribu-
tion. The use of their baggage cars have been at our disposal. The
employés have been uniformly courteous and obliging.

The press of Illinois has treated us with consideration, and while
now and then criticism of our methods have been used, we have only
thanks for space given us in furtherance of our work.

We are indebted to the C., B. & Q. R_ R. Co., Wabash R. R., Tli-
nois Central R. R. Co., Chicago, Peoria & St. Louis R. R. Co., Chica-
go, Rock Island & Pacific R. R. Co., Chicago & Eastern Illinois Ry.
Co., Chicago, Elgin & Eastern R. R. Co., Fulton County Narrow
Gauge Ry. Co., Mobile & Ohio R. R. Co., Toledo, Peoria & Western
Rekk: Coy Wabash, Western & Chester Ry. Co., Peoria & Eastern
(Big Four) R. R. Co., Iowa Central Ry. Co., Wisconsin Central Ry.
Co., Illinois Traction ‘System, Illinois Valley Ry. Co.

We desire to acknowledge our obligations to the Executive, Goy-
ernor Yates for repeated courtesies and for his assistance when needed
which has been often, and for the interest taken in our work.

We acknowledge again the debt we owe Prof. Forbes for the use of
his valuable list of the native fish of Illinois with keys by Prof. Thos.
Large, which we reproduce as an appendix to this report.

BY)

SUMMARY,

As a whole our work will show better results than in former reports.
This for several reasons, the principal one being that time has been
afforded for plants to show results and the necessities of the work in
the various public waters made manifest. The interest taken in the
subject alike by the angler and commercial fishermen has largely in-
creased and both have been greatly benefited.

The enforcement of law has been greatly improved in its scope
since the paid warden system has been inaugurated. In fact, the
fisherman themselves are fast seeing the importance of proper pro-
tection to the fish if any future to their business is to be expected.
The out-put, from a commercial standpoint, is large, larger than any
previous season, and if proper care is taken will be a matter of
annual profit to those engaged in the work and along lawful lines.

We hope to be able to. reconcile the conflicting interests we have
to contend with, and convince by practical results both the angler
and commercial fisherman that both need protection and that both
have it, and so far as lies in our power, deal with the question simply
as one of economic value, fairly as we understand it, showing no par-
tiality, but produce, if possible, the most practical results that time
and experience make possible.

We have done the best we could with time and means at our com-
mand, and leave the results to the people as a whole that we feel it
our duty to serve in our official capacity.

Respectfully submitted,
Nat H. Cowen, President.
S. P. Barruett, Sec’y and Sup’t.
AuG. LENKE, Treasurer.

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39

EXPENDITURES.

Recapitulation of Expenditures by the Illinois State Fish Com-

mission for Personal Expenses enforcing Fish Law, ete.,
Oct. 1, 1902, to Sept. 30, 1904.

from

Vouchers, etc., on file in the office
of the Auditor of Public Accounts.

APPROPRIATIONS.

To balance of appropriation of 1901 on Oct. 1,1902 . deasretereters tard ctebste sites

To appropriation available July 1, 1903 .
To appropriation available July 1,1904 .

EXPENDITURES.

By expenditures as per voucher on file for October, 1902.................

November, 1902 .

December, 1902

Janwarny.1903),.54.. Seeeeeeesh

February, 1908 .
March, 1908 ....

Drill 903) sate ncesetdoce Sent
WENA IS eaaeagedeee copdoonee
Jun esl80stakasters ws fake
Pita Vil 9034) mae eee ets icles
An oiust; 1908 eas cesaesele soc oe

September, 1903

October, 1903

Een ber 1a0 Bcm/caan age on

December, 1903

January alles ceecene tee ee

February, 1904 .

Waren (9040 5. cases cient mercise

April, 1904 .....

Uli ee ee fe ee
PATA CUISERL GOL 2 Seiteyccnetanscie ios
September, 1904 ............

Balance on approphawoniom Oct. 151904) .- - josccse.ccr corn ne ccidewe ccuane

$5,656 17
7,500 00
7,500 00

$20, 656 17

10,992 99

$9,663 18

40)

Recapitulation of Expenditures by the Illinois State Fish Commis-
sion for Maintenance of Steamer Illinois from Oct. 1, 1902, to
Sept. 30, 1904. Vouchers on file in office of the Auditor of Public

Accounts.

APPROPRIATIONS.

To balance of appropriation of 1901 on Oct. A IQUZE ce a5iee. Fe as oes Leo 1,093 O04
To appropriation available July 1, 1903 . Be EOteoe 5,000 00,
“LOmppropnation available July 151904. oe. occ cee Gee 2s oo ese es asies ssloepces 5, 000 00)
——_——_——| $11,093 04
EXPENDITURES.
By expenditures as per voucher on file for October, !902................ | 3571 67,
November, 1902............. 166 00
December, 1902) Fina c anemone 332 90
Daly AGO! ao. cones cuseneed 916 10
INUISTUSE 903s Saaee sans ee seice 346 81,
October, 1903: 5.5. gene: 674 79)
November, 1903............. 293 25
December, 1903 .......--+.-- 215 51
WaANnwary, LOL... ct cces veeeee 237 00
February, KODE 130- Needs 203 07
March), 1908... 3: 6 2s\<4'ees Sercies 319 25
Aiprily 49005 be 383 50)
May, 1 487 05.
FUITIE,, VOOR eee een enies 735 48)
thy WOOL. a cae o siaacereee eee 815 10
August, 1904 . ehieg «es 761 27
September, fore 528 14
7,996 89
|
ojbalanceoLappropnavion Oct. 100k. ee cene sec enne Seer caer ese ens .| $3,096 15
RECAPITULATION.

Total appropriation for general expenses. .

personal, etc., expenses . BS. cata ene
maintenance of steamer..

Total expenditures account general expenses..
personal expenses... Sores eect acactiee
maintenance of steamer .

Total appropriations not drawn ..................-

$53,318 O4

$32,063 83
$21,254 21

41

Recariiulation of Expenditures by the Illinois Fish Commission for.
General Hapenses, Collecting and Distributing Fish, etc., from
Oct. 1, 1902, to Sept. 30, 1904. Bills of particulars and sub-
vouchers are on file in the office of the Auditor of Public Accounts.

AMOUNT OF APPROPRIATIONS. |
|
To balance appropriation of 1901 on Oct. 1, 1902 .............ccc cere ecen es $6,568 83!
‘To appropriation available July 1, 1903.. Weicaishcincsion.ccittoeiva weigces 7,500 00
Moabpropriationvavailable July 1, WO0l. 0. ole c ce cece cceoee aces 7,500 00)
—————| $21,568 83
EXPENDITURES.
By expenditures as per voucher on file for October, 1902. . dese ao $ 624 10)
November, LR a 353 80
December, 1902 .. ap 402 64)
January, 1903..... 634 62
February, 1903 ... 488 18
March, 19038..... 561 94
/\orailly AUS A apape 849 86
Mayo l90sz ses... 1,348 90)
June; 19035 -5.. 2. 1,125 78)
September, 1903...... ee 322 47
WClODEr, 190d ee ctenierseeen 185 53
November, 1903............. 520 50
December, 1903............... 577 04
VAR ARVs GOES S. vcsmom he tense 495 91
Bebrary 190Ls.: sere once e- 541 45
WMareh V3 9048. ese eases sae 352 65
PASTA A904: ooo kas csiceb anes 521 43
WT aye 904s er oc ale cram srotsie ah ciece 624 29
June, Leas aTiaTai ee 615 90
July, 1904.. ha sees enorates 7173 59
August, BODE ie eared cub) 620 89
September, PGOA eas tee ou 520 43
———| 13,073 95
Balance ofappropriation! © ctrl; 1904s se Salsas desicciwe oe siceemecccnccliectase Seeces |) | aeraosI68

FROM TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY, 1904.

CONSTRUCTION OF PONDS AND POND CULTURAL METHODS.
(By J. L. Leary.)

There has been so much said relative to the construction of ponds and pond
cultural methods that it seems but very little additional can be written or
suggested along this line that will prove of value to the practical fish cul-
turist, yet those of us who have built ponds have discovered mistakes made
in construction, as well as experience has shown, errors ia cultural methods
and the room for improvement therein.

The first great essential to successful pond building is abundance of water.
I am safe in making the assertion that few pond building ventures have been
made that were entirely satisfactory in this respect. We felt confident the
supply of water was ample for all needs only to find after our ponds were
constructed, nine times out of ten, that this necessary element of success was
inadequate to supply the demand.

The course of supply in most cases does not matter so that it is abundant.
It may be spring, artesian, taken from some stream, or stored from rain and
snow fall. All will answer, though of course the purer and clearer the water
the better, as it adds materially to pleasure and success with the work, but
bear in mind it is w you think you need.

As to pond site it is necessarily secondary to water and must be located as
near the supply as possible to avoid the expense of long conduits, ditches or
flames. Where artesian wells are the source of supply and so located that
heavy rainstorms do not affect them, it does away with long flumes or conduits

42

that otherwise must be used to prevent disaster by flooding the ponds and
consequent loss of fish. Most of the eligible pond sites are subjected to this
danger of overflow and every precaution should be taken to guard against
danger from this source. The most secure place is the center of some low
flat, or swamp is not objectionable, with the supply of water from spring or
spring branch. I would build my pond or ponds in the center of flat or
swamp, making them narrow enough to leave wide spaces on either side. with
banks not less than 8 feet on top and 35 feet wide at base. There is one pre-
caution often neglected in building ponds, and that is the foundation or bed
for your banks. Be sure that all grass. weeds and roots are removed and that
the earth is well broken, as this allows the dirt of the banks to assimilate
with the foundation, leaving no seam for seepage, which is a source of an-
noyance and often develops into a dangerous leak. At the level of water held
in ponds I would construct drainways to take off the surplus water of heavy
rainstorms. A good plan is to closely observe during heavy rains the amount
of water that flows over the intended pond site and by this means you can
caleulate very closely the amount of water it will be necessary to divert.
Extended flats or swampy places have great advantages for pond-building.
One is nearly always assured of an abundant supply of water. and such a site
is less hable to danger from overflows than the narrow gorge of the hillside.
Then, too, on such a site you are nearly always assured of an abundant
growth of aquatic plants which adds much to the value of the ponds. Where
artesian water can be relied upon you can build on the most convenient or
desirable location.

Where it is desired to supply ponds with water by diverting part of a
stream, although an abundance of water may be assured at all times. it is too
often the most dangerous of all locations, as well as the most expensive.
Such ponds are more liable to disaster from overflow than other locations.
Either you have an expensive dam to build in order to divert the water. or it
is necessary to tap the stream, if a flowing one, some distance above your _
pond site and carry the water through a ditch or raceway. and as most
streams are liable to get out of their banks at times this proves a source of
danger.

The shape of a pond may conform to its situation, making it wide in one
place, narrow in another, with symmetrical curves that add much to its.
beauty without impairing its usefulness.

As to the bottoms nothing uniform is desirable—shallows here and there
with little islands covered with aquatie plants also add to the attractiveness
and as these shallows may be covered with sand and gravel they make ideal
spawning grounds for the fish. If the ponds are for commercial purposes or
the rearing of great numbers of young fish is desired these irregularities
should all drain to the draw-off which may be by natural drainage or if so
situated that this is not feasible can be pumped out with a small gasoline
pumping plant, that being about the cheapest power used.

This emptying of ponds is only needed for pond cultural work. Should the
writer ever build more ponds he will have them of not less than one acre
each, with irregular bottoms and long sloping inside banks, the bottoms not
so irregular as to interfere with seining but having many shoal places for
spawning grounds as well as basking and feeding places for the young fish.
While ponds built on the above lines are well adapted to all fresh water fish
they would be ideal for black bass, crappie, strawberry bass, and in fact all
of the sunfish family.

Various methods are suggested and practiced by fish eculturists, each no
doubt thinking his own plan best.

While good ponds with an abundance of water are the first needs yet the
importance of choice brood fish cannot be over estimated. The mistake that
many fish culturists make is over stocking the pond and this should be care-
fully guarded against. This may vary with climate but taking one acre as a
pond basis thirty pairs of fair sized black bass, two and one half to three
pounds each, and fifty pairs might not be an extreme. One hundred pairs of
the following fish: Crappie, rock bass, strawberry bass, and twenty pairs of
channel eatfish or earn.

43

If the output is for commercial purposes some fifteen or twenty nursery
ponds or pools will be needed. These should be 8x20x2 feet deep, with con-
erete sides and bottoms. The drainage should be perfect allowing’ them to
be cleaned at all times. The water supplying these ponds should be carried
by piping and each pool provided with a separate inlet and outlet. The re-
sult of various experiments made with black bass shows that no young should
be transferred to nursery pools under three-fourths to one inch long as they
can then take small particle of food prepared or collected for them. Should
the brood ponds be well supplied with natural food the young fish should .re-
main until they can readily take prepared food and small minnows. The
best food for most fish is the flesh of any fish so that it is fresh.

My method of preparation is as follows: A white pine chopping block two
inches thick as large as desired, a sharp butcher knife. a piece of metal sheet
with perforations 1-32 of an inch and a glass or porcelain bowl are the articles
required for the work. The tails of crawfish are skinned and the flesh of the
other fish skinned and boned, then chopped with the knife upon the board,
keeping knife and board wet it can be chopped very fine and screened through
the metal sheet into the bowl] and thinned to the consistency of cream with
water. This is fed to the young fish once a day or oftener if necessary.

The method of transferring young fish from brood ponds I deseribed at
some length at our meeting last year.

CHIcAGo, Feb. 7, 1905.
Mr. S. P. Bartlett. Secretary Board of Fish Commmissioners, Quincy, Ill.

Drar Str—I beg leave to acknowledge receipt of your favor of Feb. 3d, and
to express my regret that absence from the city has delayed a reply to your
first letter.

This company is so largely interested in, and in such close sympathy with
the work of the Fish Commission, that it is a pleasure to be able to coéperate
with you in your arduous duties, and will at any time be glad to furnish any
information in its possession that will facilitate your very valuable work.

So far as we have been able to ascertain, it is not the custom of the fish
dealers, generally, to keep a record of their purchases and sales of different
varieties of fish, and there is a manifest and, perhaps, a natural reluctance to
furnish information as to the volume of business they transact; but, as nearly
as can be estimated from the data we have been able to collect, the sales of
fish by wholesale dealers in the city of Chicago amount to about $5,000,000.00
annually.

The fiseal year of this company ends with April 30th and as it may be of
value to you for purposes of comparison and as a basis on which to estimate
the business transacted, to have a summary of fish handled in Chicago by
this company, for the year ending April 30th, 1904, I enclose you a copy of
same.

I am much interested in the subject of uniform legislation pertaining to
fishery laws, and should be pleased to take up that question with the mem-
bers of your commission at any time that it might be conyenient to you.
Cannot something be done to bring about united action on that subject on
the part of the Fish Commissioners of the several states bordering on the
Great Lakes, and the Fisheries Department of Ontario?

Having this in mind, I wrote in December to Mr. N. H. Cohen, president of
your commission, asking if he would not favor me with a call on his next
visit to the city, and received a reply stating that he expected to be in Chicago
shortly after the first of the year; but I assume he has been too busy to make
the expected visit. '

Yours very truly,
Wo. F. CocHRAN,
Manager Legal Department.

44

FISH PURCHASED AND SOLD BY A. BOOTH & COMPANY AT ITS BRANCHES
IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO DURING YEAR ENDING APRIL 30, 1904.

FRESH WATER FISH.

Black bass. . OA we
White bass.. PF, TP Pe CEE le Berek oe Ret aes 2). eee

Black fins and 1 tulibees. ie aasethaaaiae Jaaa tose <p Lo Aab eames otc eee
Brook trout........ POE tA As: hese Rot taiains acne aia oral foes JET eae tersinis a sig’ See
PB UMTAlO create PUNT eee Tied ae eet aa sor decades tem a Taos

Carp..
Cattish:.
Chubs. Bi Aang Sa BAGS URS Pear tie oseene
Ciscoes .. Bata OO DE SAOIO 2esODe oicu DoE acon bn, inate

Blue pike..
Grass pike. .
Yellow pike
Sheephead
Spoonbills.
Stu eon..

Trout.

Whitetish .

Miscellaneous. . on
—— — 20, 002, 135

SALT WATER FISH.

SHU EU NDASH a5 creo trcle cs tcaasnrs Some cies Mrcee hr oemtan stele oie nisieree'e,avere ohitietecneerare 1, 243

BlackiSea assert. tales chy eee aeendatitcecan ac chee eee een ead 4,134

IS WW O SIE o 7 wx-cscommsayseie oectoeynattavesteioey slam cielo bee win sarnlnneres nei seeemrnn = 237, 359

SEGA COM Pees co ictal cacti coSnfoten Oa es teebe couinBeihuccomemeeerne 177, 033

IWArKCTOOG! Ev icrcecioe ce cin se at itc ster icerncrs ception aisma eres visto cncavincotemererent| 5,710

Etean eae ac eae eR eae Re Eee on DR Se ea 67, 818

Haddock . eae atlt cfinds eNGt ARS Rag ce aaaeee “Lia. ache tate ay 38 ,961

Halibut.. si eles ab es /<ins Seyi os peste ae SR Mine bieae wraiths sicko exe tsocall uel Seana

Salt water herring . ae ete cete sees tneeiete cece tenes tasers] 64,037

Taber, ale tSielosons ey silent steleiws Cae Cheats SP eaeke dd Lich ceateaaens «eA CEI 129, 243

Mackerel cc tcli inate Fe cetera ie ie eee. Se 63, 800

Spanish mackerel BRC rte B Aen cn tcc GRETA MEAG ey hie Sr pl | 73, 892

ROTA PANO les coe ciate crac WE PERE Bsc AR ee rcs ote BE OEE os Seer 13, 486

Salmon.. ae 1, 067, 248

Shad roe. 41,572

POINVELIS ais cscic cals cn etea elses cee Meee eerie mienicieide eich cote ements 498, 093

Red spanner BE OOO S OS BC Gee ce OOOO OCC noe ce Aes 423,040 |

Turbot . Udo Sat a endR es TERR be SEED OOELEEES (2c bobie aU ee eee 3,78 4

WWicab Shi 3. (ee schon uot he ed aoe et eee ae. tt ae ee 6 ae 2,161 | tees
Total; PW OWMNASS ees we/evwiew do Sw Malden obs sles dm, tected dts elnino «| bei ic Seaaaae 24, 457, 823

Oysters, Ballons yee sce ae ee a a i 317,854

CLINTON, ILuL., Jan. 21, 1905.

S. P. Bartlett, Hsq., Secretary Illinois Fish Commission, Quincy, Illinois:

DEAR Str—Replying further to your favor of recent date and making
inquiry in regard to the fish at Weldon Springs, will say that last season a
few bass: were taken weighing four pounds. The pike have also made a
splendid growth, one being caught which weighed seven pounds. We have
followed your advice in taking care and protecting our fish, in not allowing
any to be taken from the water until after the 15th of June, and we have
also stocked the lake several times with minnows and now have an abund-
ance of live feed. Weldon Springs has become locally quite a resort, and our
splendid fish is one of the attractions. We shall look for a supply of bass
from the State this season, and would also appreciate a consignment of ring-

45

tail perch if they can be secured for us. We are also in need of a supply of
giant moss. Would it be asking too much for you to secure for us some when
the moss has made its appearance in the river? We shall continue to look
after the fish in a very careful manner and will see that the lake is not
depleted. I have every reason to believe that the coming season will show a
few bass have attained to the weight of four and one-half to five pounds, and
our pike seven and one-half to eight pounds. Thanking you in advance in
behalf of the citizens of this community for what you can do for us in the
way of supplying our lake with fish and giant moss, I beg to remain
Yours truly,
FRANK ADKISSON.

7hO. S. SLoan & Son,
Wholesale Poultry, Game, Fish and Oysters,
124 South Water Street.
CuicaGo, Inu., Feb. 6, 1905.

Mr. S. P. Bartlett, Quwiney, Illinois:

DEAR Str—We cannot do justice to your wish. We fail to get any outside
information. We would make an estimate on lake and river fish average
daily through the year at 80,000 to 100,000 pounds a day. Then comes the
sea fish of a rough guess at 8,000 to 10,000 pounds daily. This does not in-
clude any salted or cured fish which cuts quite a figure and a large figure,
but the wholesale dealers, grocers, etc., buy direct from the fisherman so we
could not say how much. We do not feel as though we were able to give a
close estimate on this question. Wish we could as wish very much to do
you a favor. With our best wishes, we are

Yours truly,
G. S. Sroan & Son.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES WHOLLY OR PARTLY WITHIN
THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

Ohio river.

Big Muddy river.
Kaskaskia river.
Mary’s river.
Illinois river.
Fox river.
Henderson river.
Edwards river.
Rock river.

Plum river.
Apple river.

Sny Ecarte river.

Creeks tributary to Mississippi river—
Clear creek.
Fountain creek.
Cahokia creek.
Piasa creek.
Kiset creek.

Mill creek.
Rock creek.
Bear creek.
Honey creek.
Dugout creek.
Cedar creek.
Ursa creek.
Pope creek.
Eliza creek.
Copper creek.
Johnson creek.
Big Rush creek.
Small Fox creek.

Tributaries to Ohio river—
Saline river.
North Fork of Saline river.
South Fork of Saline river.
Embarras river.

Tributaries to Big Muddy river—
Kingkaid creek.
Beaucoup creek.
Pipe Stone creek.
Galum creek.
Little Beaucoup creek.
Swanwick creek.
Locust creek.
Painter creek.
Big Crab Orchard creek.
Crab Orchard creek.
Litttle Muddy river.
Carson creek.
Middle Fork of Big Muddy river.
Ewings creek.
Gum creek.
Casey fork.
Atchinson’s fork.
Ray’s creek.

Tributaries to Kaskaskia river—
Nine Mile creek.
Plumb creek.
Silver creek.
East fork.
Big Muddy creek.
Elk Horn creek.
Sugar creek.
Shoal creek.
Beaver creek.
Flat branch.
East Fork of Shoal creek.
Dry creek. _
Middle fork of Shoal creek.
West fork of Shoal creek.
Crooked creek.
Lost creek.
Great Point creek.

46

Tributaries to Kaskaskia river—Concluded. SMDEsaes to Illinois river—Continued.
Prairie creek. poon river.
Coles creek. Big creek.
Gibbs creek Putman creek.
East Fork of Kaskaskia river. Coal creek
Bear creek. Cedar creek.
Hurricane creek. Swan creek.
Hickory creek. French creek.
Camp creek. Sugar creek.
Booz creek. t 5 Walnut creek.
Suck creek. Quiver creek.
Big creek. Bucklin creek.
Beck’s creek. 2 Mackinaw river.
Richland creek. Mill creek.
Brush creek. Walnut creek.
Robinson creek. Panther creek. ‘ :
Sand creek. Northwestern branch Mackinaw river.
West Fork of Kaskaskia river. East branch.
Apple creek. | Six Mile creek.
Lake Fork. Honey creek.
Bray’s creek.
Tributaries to Illinois river— Henline creek.
Otter creek. Kickapoo creek.
Macoupin creek. Richland creek.
Tav lor creek. Crow creek.
Joe’s creek. North branch of Crow creek.
Solomon’s creek. South branch of Crow creek.
Otter creek. Strawn’s creek.
Bear creek. Crow creek.
Honey creek. } Sandy creek.
Apple creek. } Clear creek.
Big Grassy creek. Big Burian creek.
Big Sandy creek. West Indian creek.
Little Sandy creek. Negro creek.
Walnut slough. Vermilion creek.
Kay creek. Wolf creek.
Manvisterre creek. Otter creek.
MckKie’s creek. Scattering Point creek.
Willow creek. Rook's creek.
Indian creek.” South fork Vermilion creek.
Prairie creek. North fork Vermilion creek.
Crooked creek. Covel creek.
Little Missouri creek. Fox River.
Grindstone creek. Big Indian creek.
Carter’s creek. Indian creek.
Camp creek. Mission creek.
Troublesome creek. Somonauk creek.
Panther creek. Battle creek.
Bronson’s creek. Blackberry creek.
Middle creek. Fox lake.
Long creek. Squaw creek.
North Branch of Crooked creek. Nippersink lake and creek.
Spring creek. «| Nettle creek.
Sangamon river. Waupean creek.
Big Panther creek. Mazon river.
Clay’s creek. West Fork of Mazon river.
Crane creek. 4 East Fork of Mazon river.
Salt river. Gooseberry creek.
Prairie creek, Au Sable creek.
Sugar creek. Saratoga creek.
Kickapoo creek. Kankakee river.
Deer creek. Prairie creek.
Salt creek. Forked creek.
North Branch of Salt creek. Rock creek.
Lake Fork Salt creek. Iroquois river.
Rock creek. Sangamon river.
Spring creek. Prairie creek.
Lick creek. Spring creek.
Sugar creek. Sugar creek.
Brush creek. Exline slough.
South fork. Trim creek.
Bear creek. DuPage river.
Flat branch. Little Cache river.
Lake fi rk. West Branch of DuPage river,
Willow creek. Jackson's creek.
Goose creek. Des Plaines river.
Camp creek. Calumet river.
Madden creek. Little Calumet river.
Stevens creek. Salt creek.

Otto creek. Mill creek.

‘Tributaries to Illinois river— Continued.
Green river.

Mineral creek.

Spring creek.

Mud creek.

Coal creek.
Hickory creek.
Willow creek.

Rock creck.
Little creek.
Sugar creek.
Spring creek.
Elkhorn creek.
Five Mile creek.
Three mile creek.
Pine creek.
Clear creek.
Kite creek.
Leaf creek.
Kishwaukee river.

Tributaries to Illinois river— Concluded.
Piasa river.
Coon creek.
Rush creek.
North branch of Kent's creek.
Pecatonica river.
Rock Run.
_ Pillow creek.
Sugar creek.
Otter creek.

Tributary to Henderson river—
Cedar creek.

Tributaries to Edwards river—
Camp creek.
East branch.
West branch.

Tributary to Apple river—
Trish Hollow creek.

Fisn CoMMISSIONERS OF THE STATES AND TERRITORIES.

Arizona—T. S. Bunch, Safford; W. L. Pinney, Phoenix, secretary: Jean
Allison, Jerome.

California—W. W. Van Arsdale, Mills building, San Francisco; W. E. Ger-
ber, Sacramento.

Connecticut—George T. Mathewson, president, Thompsonville; Robert G.
Pike, Middletown: E. H. Geer, secretary, Hadlyme.

Delaware—J. Stanley Short, Milford; Dr. E. G. Shortlidge, Wilmington.

Florida—John Y. Detwiler, president, New Smyrna: John G. Ruge, secre-
tary, Appalachicola; C. R. Walker, Sanford.

Georgia—A. T. Dallis, superintedent, LaGrange; V. E. Dallis, LaGrange.

Idaho—Wm. V. Irons, Hagerman.

Ilinois—Nat H. Cohen, president, Urbana; S. P. Bartlett, secretary and
superintendent, Quincy; A. Lenke.

Indiana—Z. T. Sweeney, Columbus.

Iowa—George T. Lincoln, Cedar Rapids.

Kansas—H. D. Travis, Pratt.

Louisiana (Oyster Commission)—Jas. M. Breaux, Houma; Thomas Shan-
non, Jr.. Morgan City; N. H. Nunez, New Orleans: Frank P. Para, Cut Off
Postottice; Ben Michel, Pilot Town.

Maine—L. T. Carleton, chairman, Augusta; Henry O. Stanly, Dixfield; A. R.
Nickerson, Commissioner Sea and Shore Fisheries, Boothbay Harbor.

Maryland—Charles F. Brooke, Sandy Spring, Montgomery county; James
D. Anderson, Deals Island, Somerset county.

Massachusetts—Joseph W. Collins, chairman, room 115, state house, Boston;
Edward A. Brackett, secretary, Winchester; J. W. Delano, Superintendent of
Hatcheries, Marion. >

Michigan—Freeman B. Dickerson, president, Detroit; George M. Brown,
vice-president, Saginaw; C. D. Joslyn, Detroit; George D. Mussey, secretary,
Detroit: Seymour Bower, superintendent, Detroit.

Minnesota (Offices at State Capitol)—Uril Lamprey. president, St. Paul: W.
P. Hill, vice-president; D. W. Meeker, secretary: H. G. Smith, treasurer; S. F.
Fullerton, executive agent.

Missouri—F. P. Yenowine, St. Joseph: J. N. Shelper, Milan; Richard Porter,
Paris; J. H. Zollinger, Boonville; Geo. Chapman, St. Louis.

Montana—William F. Scott, Helena, warden.

Nebraska—Hon. J. H. Mickey, Lincoln; Geo. L. Carter, chief deputy, Lin-
coln; E. Hunger, H. L. MeConnell, W. J. O’Brien, superintendent hatcheries.

Nevada—George T. Mills, Carson City.

New Hampshire—Nathaniel Wentworth, chairman, Hudson Center; Charles
B. Clarke, Concord; Merrill Shurtleff, Lancaster.

New Jersey—Benjamin P. Morris, president and treasurer, Long Branch;
Richard T. Miller, Camden; David P. MeClellan, Morristown; Perey H. John-
‘son, Bloomfield.

48

New Mexico—Page Otero, Santa Fe, warden.

New York—DeWitt C. Middleton, commissioner, Watertown: J. Duncan
Lawrence, department commissioner, Bloomville; John D. Whish, secretary,
Albany.

North Dakota—W. W. Barrett, Church’s Ferry.

Ohio—J. L. Rodgers, Columbus: Paul North, Cleveland; Duff W. Greene,
Dayton; Thomas B. Paxton, Cincinnati; L. J. Ww eber, McConnelsville: J. C.
Porterfield, chief warden, Columbus.

J. A. Gould, El Reno, warden.

Oregon—Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Salem; H. G. Van-
Dusen, master fish warden, Astoria.

Pennsylvania—W. E. Meehan, commissioner of fisheries. Harrisburg: John
Hamberger, Erie; Henry C. Cox, Wellsboro; Andrew R. Whitaker, Phcenix-
ville; Barton D. Evans, chief clerk, Harrisburg; Charles L. Miller, Altoona.

Rhode Island—(Commission inland fisheries, office state capitol)—Henry T.
Root, president, treasurer and auditor, Providence; J. M. K. Southwick, vice-
president, Newport; William P. Morton, secretary, Providence; Charles W.
Willard, Westerly; Adelbert D. Roberts, Woonsocket; A. D. Mead, Providence;
William H. Boardman, Central Falls.

Texas—I. P. Kibbe, Port Lavaca.

Utah—John Sharp, state fish and game commissioner, Salt Lake City.

Vermont—H. G. Thomas, chairman, Stowe; E. A. Davis, Bethel.

Virginia—F rank Fletcher, chairman, Jenkins Bridge; Seth F. Miller, seere-
tary, Foster; John A. Curtis, Richmond; George B. Keezell, Keezelltown;
Pembroke Pettit, Palmyra.

Washington—T. R. Kershaw, Whitcomb, Wash.

West Virginia—Frank Lively, Hinton, warden.

Wisconsin—The Governor, ex-officio; Calvert Spensley, treasurer, Mineral
Point; Prof."E. A. Birge, secretary, Madison; William J. Starr, Eau Clair;
Currie G. Bell, Bayfield; J. J. Hogan, La Crosse; Henry D. Smith, Chae
Jabe Alford, Madison.

Wyoming—S. H. Campbell, Dist. No..1, Laramie City; C. W. Morgaridge,
Dist. No. 2, Wolf.

-

STAGE OF WATER, HAVANA BRIDGE, ILLINOIS RIVER, ABOVE LOW
WATER MARK, FROM JAN. 1, 1898, to JAN. 15, 1905.

1898. 1899, 1900. | 1901. 1902. | 1903. 1904. | 1905.
gress i Sr WG
1st. |15th.] Ist. |15th.| 1st. |15th.| 1st. hoe Ist. 15th | Ist. 15th. 1st. 15th. Ist. 15th.
| ay] mlogl gl] ml ml] ml og] gl] gy] os] os] ss] sl] =
MONTHS. | $1 6183/8) 81.81 2] &1.8] Sloed @) o) ee
co co co co co co coc co c co ct c co ce Sal eo
> » ~ @ » | p 2 ~» p rs » = eS n 2 =
3 3 5 3 Sill, ais! =) 3 3 i) =a eae = et jal 3 S
Wal ee Yan] et Yan (a =P We Yt Fee 90 ae = =" (eee Men eT tee pes) os | st
S| ele] gs) es) se] £] Ss] Ss) Ss) fe) es) ge] es) ge) Ss
ie) QO ie) ie) Q ie) ie) ie) Q a if) ie) ie) ‘@) Qa + fe)
ra ie =o Penn a eee rd =e er md ed se fee a
® © o oO} oO ® ® @ @ ® ® ® a | ® S| g
a 2 e we Gi & LS ei] 2 Sh Boas eae
, | | i | )
January....| 3.2] 3.6) 6.4) 7.8] 5.8) 4.9) 7.2! 7.3) 6.3] 6,1) 12 0) 11.8) 8.4) 8.7) 6.7) 7.5
February...| 7.3) 7.1| 8.0) 7.2] 7.0) 9.7) 7.6) 7.5) 5.6) 5.8) 11.3 ne 14.3) 14.5) 7.7)...
MiarGhi.jces 11.4! 10,9) 10.0) 13.1) 22.7) 102) 7.5) 9-4) 7.5] 8.3) 14.0] 17.2) dSaal ToS) codes oe
April wc. 17.8] 15.7) 12.8] 11.8} 14.7] 14.5) 15.2) 14.7) 10.0) 10.1) 15.1) 15.6) 19.9) 5 BASS ae
May .. 11 3] 11.2} 9.0) 7.8] 11.8} 10.0) 10.3} 9.4) 8.3] 8.5) 14.8] 11.9) 14.8) 12.9).....).....
June. 13.5| 12.0) 8.7) 9.2] 8.6) 8.2) 6.4) 5.9) 9.1) 10.9) 11.0) 12.3) 11.0) 10,3} ooee
July........| 9.5) 7.7) 4.8] 42:2) 6.5] ~6.0) 5/6] 6.8) a20) 17.4) 9.9) 8-0) Ya | Rak | eee i
August. eh chore 2.6) 8.1) 3.8) 3.9) 5.6) 5.6) 4.8) 4.5) 14.3) 14.1) TT) TS) CS OR as
September..| 3.7) 4.8) 2.2} 2.4) 6.7) 6.5) 4.5) 4.5] 11.9) 10.1) 8.1) 8.5) 7.1) 6.2).....j)2....
October....| 4.4) 3.7] 2.6) 2.7] 4.9] 5.4) 4.7] 4.6] 9.8) 12.1] 10.0] 10.1) 9.5) 8.6).....J.....
November..| 6.3) 6.7/ 3.5] 3.4) 5.5) 5.5] 4.9) 5.0) 11.8) 11.9) 9.1] 8.2) G.9] G8), cc. cdhenes
December .| 8.3} 6.8] 4.1] 3.9) 8.5} 5.0) 5.0) 4.9) 11.6) 11.6 aa 7.3) ie 6.2).....f....
! u

OF THE

Native Fishes of Illinois

WITH KEYS

THOMAS LARGE

—4 F.C.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE.

The following annotated list of the fishes of Illinois is based on
the collections and field notes of the staff of the State Laboratory of
Natural History from the year 1878 to the fall of 1902. It was pre-
pared in the latter year by Mr. Large, while he was in the
service of the State Laboratory as its ichthyological assistant. His
manuscript was revised for the press in my office, but in a way to
make no material change in the substance of his statements, the
credit and responsibility for which remains, consequently, with him.
The anatytical keys prepared by him, so far as they depart from
those already printed, are the results of his personal experience in
the identification of Illinois fishes, and are made with a view to
dispensing, so far as practicable, with obscure characters and
structures difficult of access.

S. A. Fores,
Director of Laboratory.
January 6, 1903.

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A LIST OF THE NATIVE FISHES OF ILLINOIS, WITH KEYS.

By Thomas Large.

As this list is intended particularly for the “man who goes a-fish-
ing,” it is desirable that it contain as much information as possible
and at the same time be free from all unnecessary technical detail.
Although we might wish entirely to avoid scientific names, this is
obviously impossible when we remember that at least sixty of our
fishes have no common names, and that such names as bass, perch,
stone-roller, horny-head, grindle, stickle back, ete., all have more than
one application, the same name being applied not infr equently to very
different fishes.

Of our species about mafia never attain a greater adult length than
five inches. These are very commonly taken for the young of other
fishes, and are referred to indiscriminately as ‘minnows’ by the unin-
formed. It is thought that no apology is needed for directing at-
tention to these smaller members of our fish fauna and including them
in a list of the native fishes of Illinois.

Statements concerning distribution and other data made use of in
this list are, with a very few exceptions, based upon collections made
in Illinois by the State Laboratory of Natural History, at Urbana.

In the use of the keys allowance must be made for individual vari-
ations, which are frequently considerable. No determination by the
key alone should be thought of as final, but only as leading to a
description with which the specimen may be compared. As Jordan’s
“Manuel of Vertebrates” (5th to 8th editions) is probably more acces-
sible than any other previously published list, comparison with
descriptions found there is suggested, and to facilitate such compari-
son references to the species numbers of that list are given when the
nomenclature has been changed. The nomenclature employed in
this paper is that of Bulletin No. 47 of the United States National
Museum.

a4

ARTIFICIAL KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF NATIVE FISHES OF ILLINOIS.

(Adapted from Jordan and Evermann.)

I. Mouth circular; body elongate; no paired fins; gill-openings seven in number, not

covered by an operculum, but opening externally as large pores on the side of the
body in the jugular region ... . PETROMYZONID&.

II. Mouth a transverse cleft (more or less modified by ‘form. and. ‘position of the lips); gill-

if

i)

openings co ered by an operculum; one or two pairs of fins, not median.

No median barbel on chin.

Ventral fins present, abdominal.

a. Tail evidently heterocercal.

b. Body naked, snout wide and spatulate; mouth large; teeth minute or wanting; no

barbels . .POLYODONTID.
bb. Body with five series of. bony shields; ‘mouth, inferior, toothless, preceded by four
barbels . Baca we Wajete oleae ohuicliatetie ote ..eceeeeee-- ACIPENSERIDE
bbb. Body w ith scales.
Cawcales Sanol1d-.Gorsaldin ShOLres NO e Ulal plate oo. ecesiec ae ee see eee LEPISOSTEID.
cc. Scales cycloid; dorsal fin long; large, bony gular plate? 2222 oeeeee ee AMIID2.
aa. Tail not evidently heterocerc.
c. Head with eight long barbels; body naked........ .SILURID.

ce. Head without elongate barbels (except in some ‘instances, at corners of mouth);
body more or less completely scaled.
d. A single dorsal fin, not preceded by free spines or detached finlets.
e. No adipose fin.
f. Eyes normal; vent behind ventral fins.
g- Gill membranes broadly joined to isthmus; fins all soft; no teeth in jaws
Dorsal fin of more than 25 rays, or the dorsal fin shorter and lips thickened and
Royered with plicate or papillose skin; pharyngeal teeth numerous and comb-
ee -CATOSTOMID..
bh. ies fin of not more than ten rays; ‘lips usually thin, nev er plicate, or papillose;
pharyngeal teeth fewer than eight, in one to three rows............. CYPRINID#.
gg. Gill Me es free from isthmus; dorsal and anal fins situated well back on

bo

. Head SAI belly narrow and carinated; silvery fishes.
i Mouth large:'lateralline present... 11.00.25 6... Sr kt. RS HIODONTID
i). Mouth small or moderate; no lateral line.

‘tree inferior, small; stomach gizzard-like; last rays of dorsal much elon-

. DOROSOMID®.

Se Month terminal; - maxiliary in three pieces; ; stomach not ‘gizzard- like.. CLUPEID.

. Head more or less scaly; anal fin short.
L ‘Lateral line present, somewhat irregular; Seves small; tees on aise etc.,

cardiform ; jaws depressed, duck-bill like.. apieearers Ee tes) is cS
ll. Lateral line wanting.
m. Upper jaw not protractile; teeth villiform. . ; oe . UMBRID®.
mm. Upper jaw protractile, premaxillaries forming its: margins. SUMS 2 F<. ‘POECILIID®.
ff. Eyes concealed beneath skin; vent at throat. . . AMBLYOPSID.

ee. An adipose fin behind a dorsal fin composed ‘Of | ray s ‘and a spine.
n. Dorsal, anal, and ventral fins with small but distinct spine; scales ctenoid.

PERCOPSID£.
nn. Fins without spines; scales cycloid; many pyloric caeca. ............ SALMONID®.
dd. Dorsal fin preceded by four or more free spines.. _....:..GASTEROSTEID 2.
ddd. Dorsal fin preceded by a fintet of four slender spines... we vecs odve ct ADSI DDS

. Ventral fins wholly wanting.

a. Body much elongated; dorsal, anal, and caudal fins continuous around body.

ANGUILLID®.

aa. Body not elongate; fins separate; eyes imperfect.. gy OPSID.

. Ventrals thoracic or jugular, the number of rays not ae 5, but usually I , 7; dorsal with
three or four spines; scales strongly ctenoid..... .APHREDODERID.

. Ventral fins thoracic or subjugular; the number of. rays ‘definitely I, 5; dorsal with

spiny and soft rays; slit behind fourth gill large; body scaled.
a. Lateral line never extending on rays of caudal fin; often incomplete or wanting.
2 Pseudobranchia undeveloped.
Anal spines 8 to 10.

a Dorsal spines 4; lateral line wanting. Ecivenats . ELASSOMID®.
oe Dorsal spines 6 to 12; lateral line w vell dev eloped... weir .-CENTRARCHID &.
c. Anal spines 1 or 2; small fishes under eight inches long.. Stake .. PERCID.

Bb Pseudobranchia developed. } : ;
e. Anal spines 2 (or 1); pseudobranchia small; cylindrical fishes............PERCID2®.

dD

eGrAnal spines's; Compressed fishes. 5 os ied. cons os ores oe oe eeee ces. + OERRANIDE,
aa. Lateral line extending to tip of middle ray of caudal fin................SCIAENID&,

5. Ventral fins I, 3, or I, 4; slit behind the fourth gill small or wanting; sasha é
SOTTID#.
AA, Chin with a median barbel; body elongate; dorsal and anal fins elongate; scales em-
SRT Td ee ne en ee RC eet Se eats mre ee cal sieges apeisoee secre Ed Le ere

FAMILY PETROMYZONTID£ (THE LAMPREYS.)

Ichthyomyzon concolor (Kirtland).—Silvery Lamprey. (5)

Taken five times from the Illinois river and once from the Wabash river at Mt. Carmel.
Ichthyomyzon castaneus Girard. (4)

One example of this species was obtained at Pekin, Ill., April 16, 1880.
Lampetra wildert Gage.—Brook Lamprey; Small Black Lamprey. (3)

We have records of the occurrence of this species at Cairo, Pekin and Peoria; also found
several times by Dr. Jordan in small streams of Illinois.

Faminy PoLyopontTip® (THe PADDLEFISHES).

Polyodon spathula (Walbaum).—Spoonbill Cat; Spoonbill; Paddlefish.

This fish feeds upon the minute animal and plant life of the water. Its snout probably
serves as a delicate sense organ.

Formerly abundant in all large streams, but now apparently decreasing greatly in num-
bers. Now found only sparingly in the larger streams tributary to the Mississippi and in
aajacent ponds and lakes,

FAMILY ACIPENSERID® (THE STURGEONS).

Acipndser rubicundus Le Sueur.—Lake Sturgeon; Rock Sturgeon; Red
Sturgeon.

The red sturgeon is usually a rather sluggish fish. The color changes with age, the
young being drab and the adults green or red.

Formerly abundant in rivers and in Lake Michigan, but rarely taken now. Occurs five
tines in our collections, being listed from tributaries of the Mississippi and from the Great

es,

Scaphirhynchus platorynchus (Rafinesque).—Shoyel-fish; Shovel-nose Stur-
geon; White Sturgeon.

The broad nose and long filament of the tail make this fish strikingly different from the
common sturgeon.

Not uncommon in the Ohio and Mississippi rivers; frequently taken from the Ohio at
Evansville, Ind., by fishermen, by whom it is considered worthless for food and thrown
away; rare in the I]linois river.

Famity LEpPIsOsTEID® (THE GARs.)

Lepisosteus osseus (Linnzeus).—Long-nosed gar.

Grows to a length of five feet. Abundant; predaceous, preying upon fish entangled in set
nets; pussibly, also, to some extent a scavenger. These fishes undergo certain decided
changes with age. Until they reach a length of about 9inches they are provided behind with
a slender membranous filament which is a process of the dorsal lobe of the heterocercal tail.
This filament has a rapid, wave-like motion, which is continued with but brief interruptions
while the fish is at rest. At about the time of the disappearance of the caudal filament the
black side stripe, which up to this time extends from the tip of the snout to the caudal, begins
to break up into oval spots, while similar oval spots begin to appear on all the fins, on the
mid-dorsal line. and on either side of the body. Those on the body vanish in later life, the
ones below the lateral line disappearing first.

Abundant and widely distributed, being found in all parts of the State excepting Lake
Michigan. Principally found in the larger streams, though frequently caught in the smaller
ones, where it is found in pools.

Lepisosteus platostomus Rafinesque.—Short-nosed Gar.

Length 3 feet. In habits like the preceding, though the two species are not usually
abundant in the same localities. Difficult to distinguish from the young of the next species.
A young specimen, 144 inches in length, has been observed in the act of catching and eating a
minnow not much smaller (Meredosia, 1900).

Particularly abundant about Havana and Meredosia; absent in our collections from the
Rock and Wabash basins. Otherwise distributed about as Z. ossews.

Lepisosteus tristechus (Block & Schneider).—Alligator Gar.

Length 8 to 10 feet. Said by river men to be a dangeous antagonist; also destructive of
netting when caught. Found occasionally in the Illinois, Mississippi and Ohio rivers.

a6

FAMILY Amiipa (THE BowFIns).

Amia calwa Linnzeus.—Dog-fish; Grindle; Prairie Bass.

Of some commercial importance, being regularly shipped from the Illinois River in win-
ter. Occasionally sold by fish huckst rs as ‘‘prairie bass.” Considered worthless and unfit
for food in thé northern part of the State; in the southern part, under the name of “grindle,”’
replacing the black bass as the most sought game fish, and considered a good table fish. It is
a good fighter when hooked and takes bait well.

Abundant in sloughs and lakes adjoining the Mississippi and Illinois rivers and in the
sluggish streams of southern Illinois. Apparently not abundant northward.

FAMILY SILurID® (THe CATFISH).
ARTIEICIAL,KEY TO THE CATFISHES OF ILLINOIS.
a. Tail forked; color usually light or silvery.

-b. Bony process from back of head articulating with the base of the dorsal fin, making
bony ridge from head to dorsal fin.

. Anal fin with 32 to 35 ray. E cotetedseee o3 ..ICTALURUS FURCATUS
a Aual fin with 25 to 29 rays; ‘barbels long.. .I. PUNCTATUS
bb. Process from back of head not articulating with front of dorsal fin; bony ridge in-

complete.. _.... AMEIURUS LACUSTRIS

aa. Tail not forked; ‘color brown, y ‘ellow, ‘greenish, black or gray; not silvery.

d. Adipose fina small lobe, its posterior margin not attached to the back.

e, Spines well developed.

f. Anal fin 24 to 27 rays; length of base more than 14 the ng s Bi skin thin and

vor i vismooth ») Ee, « See ..A. NATALIS
ff, Anal 15 to 22, less than 4 4 ‘the ‘body i in length.
g. Lower jaw projecting; anal rays 20 . ‘ ned edanas os su +ssQBoutst | UGS ae
gg. Lower jaw not projecting.
h. Anal rays more than 20.. ecqrarseheses nome ..A. NEBULOSUS.
hh. Anal rays 17 to 19, w ith black membranes... .A. MELAS.
ee. Spines short, 1% the height of fin, a fleshy continuation ‘extending about as ae
as fin; spines harmless, muftled by thick skin; head flat; upper portion of cau
fin light or white.. .LEPTOPS OLIVARIS.
dd. pe cunere HB keellike. na ‘continuous with the caudal fin or ‘separated from it only
y.a notc
i. White crescent under the posterior margin of the dorsal fin evident: head flattened,
with fleshy mounds on either side of a median groove......... NOTURUS FDAVUS.
Date crescent behind dorsal fin absent or obscure; small fishes, not exceeding
inches.
j. Body heavy; muscle plates evident on sides; longitudinal dark lines at angles of
’ muscle plates...... .SCHILBEODES GYRINUS.

ji. Body more slender; “color uniform, ‘mottled, ‘punctulate.
A dinOse fin continuous with caudal, not separated by notch, color plain ‘black-
ae S. NOCTURNUS.
ce reas fin more or less. separated from caudal by ‘notch.
1. Body not blotched with black; head small; body eUCEN, . Eales, in life yellowish,
brown, or greenish.. = Ss spi uch
ll. Body more or less blotched with black; head broad. °
m. Saddle like blotches faint; adipose and caudal fins entirely separated.
S. ELEUTHERUS
mm. Body mottled with black and gray, with 4 acca BES blotches on back; adipose
* and caudal not entirely separated... -s2ee5» MIURUS

Ictalurus fureatus (Le Sueur) Channel Cat: Brae Cat: ‘Great Fork- tailed
Cat; Mississippi Cat.

Taken here and there throughout the State in the larger streams tributary to the Missis-
sippi; not, however, so abundant as the common channel cat (/. punctatus). Recent exami-
nations by Dr. Evermann of specimens of the ‘‘Mississippi Cat’’ show it to be this species

instead of Ameiurus lacustris as previously supposed. (Cf. Bull. U. S. National Museum,
Vol. III. p. 2789.)

Ictalurus anguilla Evermann & Kendall.—Channel Cat: Eel Cat: Willow
Cat.

Fsobably taken-in our larger streams with other channel cats, but not yet positively recog-
nize

Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque).—Channel Cat; Blue Cat: White Cat.

The most abundant of the channel cats. An excellent and marketable food fish. The
young stay most frequently in the deep swift water of the rivers and larger creeks. A strong
swimmer.

Our collections of this species are from 123 localities, distributed throughout the State with
the exception of the upper Illinois valley above the mouth of the Fox River, and the Lake
Michigan region. It occurs, however, in three collections from Iroquois county. It does not
appear to be common southward of the Illinois basin.

Ameiurus lacustris (Walbaum).—Catfish of the Lakes.

Known from other Illinois members of this genus by its forked tail, larger number of anal
rays, and silvery appearance. In these respects it approaches the genus /cfa/wrus, but differs
in not having the occipital process articulated with the bones at the base of the dorsal fin.

Doubtless not so common in Illinois as hitherto supposed; until lately generally confused
with /ctalurus furcatus, under which see note.

Lond
‘

or

Ameiurus natalis (Le Suer).—Yellow Cat; Yellow Bullhead.

Body thick; skin very smooth and thin. Called by fishermen ‘‘greaser” or ‘ ‘greased cat,”’
and readily separated by them from other bullheads.

Common throughout the State, except in streams tributary to Lake Michigan, and in the
northwestern portion of the Illinois and Fox basins, occurring in the latter region only in
collections from Carthage, Hancock county. ‘Taken, in all, from 76 localities.

Ameiurus vulgaris (Thompson).
Apparently rare in Illinois; possibly not distinguishable from A. me/as.
Ameiurus nebulosus (Le Sueur).—Common Bullhead.

as fin long; upper jaw projecting; in many specimens the color mottled (var. masmo
rvatus).

- Taken from 48 localities in Illinois. Apparently less abundant at Havana and Meredosia
than other bullheads.

Ameiurus melas (Rafinesque).—Black Bullhead.

The most common of Illinois catfishes. The young are black in color and swim in schools
until about 144 inches long:

Abundant throughout the State, with apparent exceptions in the Kankakee, Rock, and
middle Kaskaskia basins. Found in 179 localities in all.

Leptops olivaris (Rafinesque).—Mud Cat: Goujon; Flat-head.

A common market catfish of the Illinois River, being excellent as food. Exceedingly
ugly; the head very flat, mouth broad, spines short and thickly covered with solt skin; up-
per pant of the caudal white in the young and continuing lighter than the lower portion in
adults. °

Thirty localities represented in our collections, all of which are from muddy streams. Not
found in the Lake Michigan region.

Noturus flavus Rafinesque.—Stone Cat.

This fish is usually mistaken fora young bullhead. From these it differs decidedly in
habits and also, as do the other stone cats, in the form ofthe adipose fin, which is keel-like,
and may be either separated from the caudal by a notch or continous with the upper mar-
gin of the latter. This species can usually be separated from the other stone cats by the
presence of a white or whitish spot of somewhat crescentic form under the posterior margin
of the dorsal.

Confined to the north half of the State where it is found under stones in the swifter
portions of the larger creeks and small rivers. Not listed from further southward than the
Kaskaskia River, in Douglas county: Found in greater abundance in Mackinaw Creek than
elsewhere. Our collections are from 37 localities.

“Schilbeodes gyrinus (Mitchill).—Tadpole Cat; Poison Cat. (65)

_ Astone cat, as shown by form of the adipose fin, but in habit much like a young bull-
head, preferring deep. muddy water. The form of the body isin adults much like that of
Ameturus natalis; easily separated from the latter by the dark lateral stripe, which ex-
tends the length of the body, connecting the angles of the muscle plates.

Abundant in the sluggish portions of all streams of central Illinois; common in southern

Illinois; somewhat rare in the northwestern part of the State.

Schilbeodes nocturnus (Jordan & Gilbert).

Body brown, covered with minute dots; no notch between adipose and caudal; 15 or 16
trays in the causal. Length 3 inches. : : ‘

Occurs in ten collections: two from Havana, three frem near Lincoln, three from
points on the Kaskaskia River, one from Spoon River near Lewistown, aud one from the
-south fork of the Saline River in Saline county.

Schilbeodes exilis (Nelson). (61)

With much the appearance of Noturus favus, including even the white spot behind the
‘dorsal, but in this fish the crescentic spot is much less evident that in the larger species.

From Crane Creek, Freeport, South Henderson and Honey creeks in Henderson county.
Iroquois River near Watseka, and creeks in Union county. ’

Schilbeodes eleutherus (Jordan). (64)

Length4 inches. Color brownish, with obscure, dark, saddle-like blotches; head broad,
flat; barbels not reaching to gill-opening.

The distribution of this catfish is peculiar, it being known at present only from creeks
near Lincoln, and from the headwaters. of the Kaskaskia and Embarras rivers in Douglas
-and Piatt counties.

Schilbeodes miurus (Jordan). (63)

Known by its grayish color and the four black blotches on the back. :
Common on gravelly rapids throughout the Wabash basin; taken once from Cache River
-and once from a creek near Pontiac.

58

FAMILY CATOsTOMIDa (THE SUCKERS AND BUFFALOES.)
ARTIFICIAL KEY TO THE BUFFALOES AND SUCKERS OF ILLINOIS.

a. Dorsal fin very long, 25 to 30 rays.
b. Lips thin, not covered with papille; scales large.
c. Colors dark; mouth large.
d. Anal rays 9; lips thin; head thick and rounded; mouth protractile forward: dorsal

outline much more curved than ventral outline eas eaed ICTIOBUS CYPRINELLA.
dd. Anal rays 10; lips thicker; head much 1 en arses.
e. Depth 1% of leng ths: bets os Cote oa anus seen .I. URUS.
ee. Denitiasout tia: fifths of length. Ss Saree wa hedonic eae ..I. BUBALUS.
cc. Colors pale, plain; mouth not large.
f. Kody not deep; depth 1 1g to 4 of lengtha. ++ seeeeeeeees CARPIODES CARPIO.
ff. Kody deep; one-third to four-ninths of length.
g. Dorsal w ith about 24 rays; nostrils near tip of snout.. .C. DIFFORMIS.
gg. Dorsal with 26 or 27 rays, the first rays elongate more or less; head conical, with
projecting muzzle.. .C. VELIFER.
bb. Lips thick, papillose; scales not ot large: head v very ‘small; ‘body ‘elongate, not much
compressed.. dues iets ..CYCLEPTUS ELONGATUS

aa. Dorsal fin not elongated.
h. Lateral lines complete.
i. Lips papillose.
j. Body fusiform; head rounded.
k. Scales 95 to 115 in lateral line’.
kk. Scales 64 to 68 in lateral line, crowded forward....... CATOSTOMUS COMMERSONII.
jj. Body conical; caudal Bee elenders Heda Be concave between small
eyes co teehee en ee ..C. NIGRICANS.
ii. Lips thin and ‘plicate.
1. Dorsal of 15 to 18 rays?.
ll. Dorsal fin of 12 to 14 rays.
m. Caudal fin normal, upper and lower lobes about equal.
n. Free margin of dorsal straight.
MOxXOSTOMA AUREOLUM, PLACOPHARYNX DUQUESNEI.

nn. Free margin of dorsal more or less incised...... MOXOSTOMA MACROLEPIDOTUM.
mm. Candal fin with upper line much longer than the lower; anal tinreaching past the
caudal?

bh. Lateral line incomplete or wanting.
o. Sides with regular rows of small black spots; lateral line usually interrupted,

(wanting in young).. .MINYTREMA MELANOPS
oo. Sides with neue blotches of large ‘size: “a black stripe in young; lateral line
wanting.. : .. ERIMYZON SUCETTA.

Ictiobus eypr imetla, (Gases & Valenciennes), —Buitalo: "Rea mouthed Buffalo.

The common buffalo-fish of commercial fishermen. Mouth large, protractile forward;
color brownish olive; opercle % the length of the head. Weight 20 to 30 pounds.
Taken from the Rock, Illinois, and Wabash river basins. Common in large streams.

Ictiobus wrus (Agassiz).—Mongrel Buffalo.

Back not much elevated and not compressed into a keel above, but rounded in cross-
section.
Distributed about as /. cyprine//a, though not so common.

Ictiobus bubalus (Rafinesque).—Small-mouthed Buffalo: Razor-baeked Buf-
falo.

Depth of body five-elevenths of Jength; back thin; belly thick.
Common in large streams and in lakes and in lakes and sloughs.

Carpiodes carpi (Rafinesque).—Carp Sucker. (62).

Perhaps not rare in large rivers; our collections not, however, as yet carefully studied.
Carpiodes difformis Cope. (70)

Identified in our Illinois river collections. Probably frequently confused with the next

species.

Curpiodes velifer (Rafinesque.).—Quillback; Spearfish; Skipjack. (70)

Known by the excessive elongation of the first rays of the dorsal fin.

Very abundant everywhere, but almost worthless as food.
Cycleptus elongatus (Le Sueur).—Black Horse: Missouri Sucker.

Formerly abundant in the Illinois river; but now only occasionally taken. The single
specimen taken in our collections of the past three years comes from the mouth of Green
river. A specimen was obtained also from the Little Fox river, at Philipstown, IIL, in 1882.

Catostomus commersonii (Lacépéde).—Common Sucker: Fin-sealed Sucker;
Black Sucker. (76)
The number of scales varies greatly, giving rise possibly to several more or less distinct
varietal forms.

* Catostomus catostomus, Of uncertain occurrence in Illinois.
* Moxostoma anisurum,; of uncertain occurrence in Illinois.
3 VWoxostoma breviceps, of uncertain occurrence in Illinois.

59

Abundant; found usually in prairie creeks; not yet taken by us in tributaries of Lake
Michigan. Not found in our collections from southward of the latitude of the mouth of the
Illinois river, with the exception of one collection from near Mt. Carmel, and (singularly
enough) ten collections in the Illinois spur of the Ozarks, in the counties of Williamson,
Saline, Hardin, Pope, Johnson and Union. ‘Taken, in all, from 68 localities.

Catostomus nigricanr (Le Sueur).—Hammer-head; Hog Sucker; Hog Molly;
Mullet; Stone-roller.

A fish of peculiar appearance; head pyramidal, body subconical; eyes very small; mouth
large and sucker like. It is a strong swimmer and is chietly found upon gravelly riffles,
where it feeds upon the bottom. As in the case of many other tishes inhabiting similar
situations, the back is crossed with dark bars, which probably serve as a means of protection
against discovery by wading birds and other enemies.

Abundant in rapid, gravelly streams of the Mississippi valley northeastward of a line
from the mouth of the Rock river to the mouth of the kmbarras river. In this section we
have eighty-four collections of this species, while southwest of this line we have but four,
two of these lying very close to the line, viz.: Little Wabash river at Effingham, Spoon river
at London Mills, Otter creek in Jersey county, and Clear creek, Union county. Not found
in the few collections which have been made from streams flowing into Lake Michigan.

Brimyzon sucetta oblongus (Mitchill).—Chub-sucker; Sweet Sucker.

The absence of a lateral line serves to distinguish this fish from other suckers. (It should
be noted, however, that the young of the next species are without a lateral line also.) The
young of this variety are distinguished from adults by the possession of a very black lateral
stripe, and may easily be mistaken for minnows.

This fish is abundant in the Wabash basin, in the streams tributary to the Ohio river,
and in the headwaters of the Kaskaskia; also frequently taken at Havana. It is much less
abundant throughout the [llinois valley, not having been taken by us between the Illinois
and Mississippirivers. It appears in four collections from the Rock river basin.

Minytrema melanops (Rafinesque).—Spotted Sucker: Black Sucker.

Readily recognized by the presence of several longitudinal rows of black dots on the
scales of the sides. Lateral line absent in the young and incomplete or broken in adults.

Abundant in the Wabash basin and in the head waters of the Kaskaskia. One collection
from the Saline river at Harrisburg, one from Cedar creek at Simpson, and one from the Big
Muddy at Benton. Rareat Havanaand Meredosia and in the northern portion of the State.
Not taken between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. This fish apparently prefers the
weedy prairie creeks in situations where it is abundant.

Moxostoma aureolum (Le Sueur).—Common Red-horse: White Sucker: Large-
scaled Sucker.

Scales large; body heavy; head larger than in the next, flat between the eyes and squarish
in cross section; nose ending abruptly.

Very abundant in streams of all sizes northward; generally found in the black prairie
regions. Occurs but six times south of the south line of Shelby county, as follows: Jasper
county, N. E.; Fayette county, N.; Wabash county, E.; Wayne county, W. (2); Saline
county, S., and Hardin county, center.

Moxostoma macrolepidotum (Le Sueur).—Red-horse.

Scales large; body more elongate than in the last, tapering from before the dorsal fin for-
ward; head rather small, rounded, and bluntly pointed.
Common in streams of the northern half of the State.

Placopharynx duquesnei (Le Sueur).—Red horse. (85)

Not certainly distinguishable from J/. auveolum without removal and examination of the
pharyngeal teeth. Occurs in Illinois, butour collections have not yet been carefully enough
examined to determine how frequently it may have been mistaken for J/. azeolum.

FAMILY CypRINID® (THE MrINnNows).*
KEY TO THE GENERA OF ILLINOIS CYPRINID.

(It must be understood that this key is intended only for Illinois representatives of these
genera, and in many cases will not apply to those found elsewhere.)
a. Minnows with intestine of length more than twice that of the body: peritoneum
usually black or dark gray.
b. Intestine spirally wound around the air-bladder.....................5- CAMPOSTOMA,
bb. Intestine not wound around the air-bladder.
c. Scales small, about 63 to 80 in lateral line.
Ce BOGy. pDlaim SILVeny..: 3. Sesabais ae oe cee edna Seauicbieis den). dn sake svar ccf OMVGDMEDM .
dd. Body striped longitudinally, frequently highly colored............... CHROSOMUS.
cc. Scales larger, about 37 to 45 in lateral line.
e. Scales not crowded before the dorsal, and not differing much in size from those on
other parts of the body; breast scaly; first ray of dorsal slender and closely attached
TO SE COMM 7 at tear ake ore Repeat raat eed canine rat noninaeise HOGA LE US
ee. Scales small and irregularly crowded before the dorsal; breast naked; first ray of
dorsal % the length of second, not closely attached to it, a membrane interven-
TINS ys acter ie eee ee nls eee ee ee mens Ce dab ee Ce cate bic c atte LEP BADE SS
* The common German carp (Cyprinus carpio). belonging to the family Cyprinide,
though not native to Illinois waters, is now found in all streams of the State. It may be
recognized by the two long barbels at either side of the mouth, and by the long spine at the
front of the dorsal. The large number of rays of the dorsal and the form of the body fre-
quently lead to a confusion of this fish with the buffaloes.

60

aa. MOE we with intestine short, less than twice the length of the body; peritoneum
usually pale.
f. Maxillary without evident barbel.
g. Scales minute, 70 or 80 in lateral} line.’
pe: Scales larger, less than 70 in lateral line. ;
. Mouth very small, upturned; lower jaw more nearly vertical than horizontal when
mouth is closed; angle formed by cleft of mouth and long axis of body more than
45 GERTEER oo. voices cots oe aie sic, 0:0 se nus d dual ase Pibwoias le. assim 0 des Ceo vt ae
hh. Mouth horizontal or more or less oblique; angle formed by cleft of mouth and
long axis of body less than 45 degrees. -
i. Body strongly compressed between ventrals and anal fin, forming a ventral keel
over which the scales do not pass...............+.- nas ae ots Sie ES
ii. Body not strongly compressed ventrally.
j. First. ray of dorsal club-like and not in close contact with the second ray, a mem-
brane Irnitervenine.. 325-5. wales ch. esp nsac cies paced salelar chen Ip oe eee on ieee EL
jj. First ray of dorsal slender and attached closely to the second.
k. Upper lip not much thickened near angles (lips thin); mouth horizontal or oblique.
1. Lower portion of head normal, not swollen......................-...-.--.. NOTROPIS.
11. Lower portion of head swollen, semi-transparent; rectangular mucous cavities ap-
Patent ii DONES OF LACE... a. oct cecces woe nec ae cucece oe «ne cides meee ae tease
kk. Upper lip much thickened at angles, giving appearance of sucker mouth; snout
somewhat projecting, mouth inferior, horizontal................. PHENACOBIUS.
ff. Maxillary with a barbel at or near the extremity. This is sometimes quite small
and difficult to see in preserved specimens.
m. A pair of barbels on the upper lip a. short distance from the distal extremity.
n. Scales 50 to 60; eye small, one-fifth the length of head; dorsal usually we rays.
EMOTILUS.

nn. Scales 60 to 70; eye large, as long as snout; dorsal usually 8.7
mm. Barbels at the distal extremities of upper lip.
o. Scales small, 60 to 70 in the lateral line; premaxillary not protractile. RHINICHTHYS.
oo. Scales larger, 35 to 60 in lateral line; premaxillary protractile.
p. Head not usually much depressed; mouth usually inferior; common species

saa ; HYBOPSIS.
pp. Head broad and much depressed; mouth terminal; rare species.... PLATYGOBIO.

A.—LONG-INTESTINED MINNOWS.

Campostoma anomalum (Rafinesque).—Dough-belly: Stone-roller; Greased
Chub; Creek Chub. ‘

Differs from all otter minnows in having its elongate intestine spirally wound around the
air-bladder. Mouth inferior and somewhat sucker-like, the lips smooth. Body mottled with
black; the fins highly colored in spring, and the males at this season with tubercules on the
head and many parts of the body. A tine bait minnow easily taken with a minnow seine in
small creeks of running water; very tenacious of life in the minnow pail and on the hook.

Abundant throughott the State. More common in small than in larger streams.

Oxygeneum pulverulentum Forbes.

A single specimen of this fish was taken in 1885 from the Illinois river by Professor Forbes
which was so different from any known fish that it seemed necessary to refer it to an entirely
new genusand species. As ithas not been since taken, a doubt is suggested whether the
fish may not be a hybrid or merely an example of ve y wide variation. There is no warrant
however, for discarding the genus and species until breeding experiments show that it is a
hybrid, or until the discovery of more species removes the doubt.

Chrosomus erythrogaster (Rafinesque).—Red-bellied Dace.

A very surprising little minnow, found in the muddier small creeks. The scales are very
fine. The color of the female is plain olive, silvery or white beneath, with black dots on the
back and narrow silvery and black stripes on the sides; in the males the white is replaced by
gorgeous cherry-red, shading to golden forward. The base of the dorsal is red; the other fins
and the gill-covers (opercles) are a rich yellow. The red color, while very deep and rich, is
peculiarly evanescent, disappearing and reappearing often in a surprising manner. Itis not
a distinctly spring coloration as has hitherto been supposed; specimens in our aquari, on the
contrary, have shown high color in almost all the summer months and as late as October.

Occurs frequently in the Rock river basin and in creeks flowing into the Illinois river in
LaSalle county. Has been taken from. creeks near Canton and Farmington, from a spring
branch near Wolrab Mills, Hardin county, and from creeks in Union county: also reported
from a spring in southwestern Clark county.

Hybognathus nuchalis (Agassiz).—Silvery Minnow.

A large silvery minnow, with large scales, spindle-shaped body, and pointed head. The
lower jaw is thin and hard, with a small hard lump just inside the mouth in front. Dies too
quickly to be a good bait minnow. : "i

Chiefly found in deep muddy water in large creeks or rivers. Somewhat rarely found in
the swift gravelly streams of central Illinois. Abundant to the southeastward, near the Miss-
Sian and Illinois rivers. Collected once from a tributary of Lake Michigan, at South

icago.

1 “Leuciscus; a genus not certainly known to occur in this State. : ae
2 Couesius peumbeus; a northern form, which may occasionally be found in Illinois.

61

Hybognathus nubila (Forbes).

A small fish; in appearance very much like /Vo/ropis heterodon, the similarity extending to
the form of the head, body, and fins, and the black stripe on the side which passes through
the eye and around the snout. The edge of the lower jaw is hard and sharp and has a percep-
pte peeercle on its upper side at the tip. Length rarely greater than 2 inches (to base of
caudal fin

We have collections of this species from the Ohio river at Cairo, from the neighborhood
of Peoria, and from Galena, Carmi and Henry.

Pimephales promelas (Rafinesque).—Black-head; Minnow; Fat-head.

A short thick fish with very blunt head. The males in spring very dark in color, and with
two rows of large tubercules around the snout. Differs from /. xofatws in the thicker body
and in the incompleteness of the lateral line.

Distributed through the Mississippi, Rock, Ilinois and Kaskaskia basins, usually in the
deep holes of small sluggish creeks; also found in the small creeks of Coles county, in the
Wabash basin. Taken, ‘in all, from 64 localities. ©

Pimephales notatus (Rafinesque).—Blunt-nosed Minnow.

Differs from /?. promelas in having a rather slender aiigide aa with the lateral line complete;
tuberculations and colors not so noticeable as in the preceding

Very abundant throughut the Strate, occurring in 338 of ae collections. In the eastern
Wabash basin so abundant as to be a nuisance to the collector. Notso numerous in the larger
streams. taa-aue

. AA.—SHORT-INTESTINED MINNOWS.

Semotilus atromaculatus (Mitchill.)—Horned Faced; Creek Chub.

A large fat minnow, reaching 10 inches in length. The fine scales on the forward part
of the body. the i mouth, and the small barbel on the upper lip near the corner of the
mouth, serve usually to distinguish it. It is an active swimmer. feeding on insect larve.
worms and small fishies. It is provided with a powerful set of pharyngeal teeth. One of our
best bait minnows; easily taken in creeks.

Abundant in streams of smaller size throughout the State. Rarely taken in lakes or
sloughs connected with the Illinois river. Occurs in 149 of our collections.

Opsopeodus emiliw (Hay).

The validity of this species is frequently questioned. It differs from O. mega/ops in the
complete lateral line and the black spot on the anterior rays of the dorsal.

Specimens identified as this species occur in collections from the Illinois river at Havana,
the Big and Little Fox rivers in White county, and from French creek at Grayville.

Opsopcwodus megalops (Forbes). (158b)

A fish with a very small upturned mouth, a black spot on the posterior rays of the dorsal
and an incomplete lateral line Delicate lines of black mark the edges of the scales.

Occurs in 67 collections, mainly from the Illinois river and from the streams of south-
eastern Illinois. Also found at Urbana and near Galena. Never abundant. but found only
sparingly, usually in water of moderate depth, with muddy bottom.

Abramis crysoleucas (Mitchill).—Golden Shiner; Roach; Bream. (159)

This fish is distinguished from all other minnows by the keel on the belly behind the
ventral fins. The body is compressed to a thickness of about one-fifth to one-sixth of the
cas Mouth much upturned; scales large and rounded on their posterior borders: 13 rays
in ana

Found in still water, in all parts of the State. Not abundant in collections from the Rock
river basin. Occurs in 257 of our collections.

Cliola vigilax (Baird & Girard).—Fat-head.

This minnow approaches Pimephaies in the fine scales before the dorsal, in the general
form of the body, and in not having the first ray adnate to the second of the dorsal, while it
differs in having a long intestine and a pale peritoneum. In separating this species from
P. notatus we have found that we can usually depend upon the paler color and more obtuse
head of C/io/a. The black spot atthe base of the caudal is also usually more distinct than in
P.notatus. As in the latter, there is a black spot on the first rays of the dorsal in this species.

Found in 170 collections, made throughout the State, with the exception of the Lake
Michigan region. Not abundant in the Rock river basin.

KEY TO SPECIES OF THE GENUS NOTROPIS FOUND IN ILLINOIS.

a. Kody neither stout nor much compressed; small cylindrical fusiform fishes not more
than 246 inches in length; depth not more than 4 of length.
b. A black stripe around snout, through eye and on aoe to base of caudal.
c. No black on lower jaw; chin white.. les N. CAYUGA.
ec. Mouth more oblique; ‘lower jaw with some ‘black.
d. Mouth very small; lower jaw included..............4.....ee.001...N. ANOGENUS.

62

dd. Mouth large; lower jaw projecting’. .N. HETERODON .
bb. Sides without black stripe (dusky or silvery): ‘sometimes dusted on sides and
head with black specks.
e. Fourteen to t7 scales before dorsal.
f. Anal rays7 or8.
g. Dorsal stripe present; no caudal spot................ce0ccs seecessess Ne BLENNIUS.
gg. No dorsal stripe.
h. Dorsal rays 8, unal 8; fins higa.”
hh. Dorsal rays 7. anal fe uiwb dace Oe ule odes Seabe ym
ff. Anal rays 9; sides dusted with black specks . PP Oe pe Ra
ae Twelve scles before dorsal.
. Eye small, 4 length of head.
Eye large, } * length of head or larger. . .M. SHUMARDI.
aa. Bods compressed, at least posteriorly; depth “noticeably ‘greater ‘than width; (head
some times thick).

j. Alblackspot atibasetof caudal, ol .< 00s. acteshihee S20. ca ceue tc cee. bi ae come an

j). No spot at base of caudal. ':

<. Scales before dorsal not much finer than elsewhere on the body.

1. Anal of 7 to 9 rays.

m. Body deep,compressed; length 3 to 6 inches.

n. Scales uniform in size; body not heavy forward; regularly marked with diagonal
lines forming lozenge on sides of scales; black lateral stripe made up of small
diagonal bars on posterior half of body; dorsal fin usually with a black spot on
posterior rays; no red coloration ... .N. WHIPPLII.

nn. Body heavy before dorsal; nape high; much red coloration in adult males; mouth

large; scales somewhat crowded forward.

o. Length of exposed portion of scales equal to about 44 depth of scales; eye not
large.. .N. LUTRENSIS.

oo. Scales very ‘deep, length of exposed portion. narrow ‘on forward, part of body and

rows cunning out behind dorsal fin; eye large in young, variable in adult.
CORN UTUS

mm. Body rather stout; not much compressed; head thick, depth of bodv % to 1-5 of

length; silvery fishes without red or yellow ior of oo or fins.

p. Anal rays 9; eye 5-13 of head: lateral line much de. urved.. ..N. ARIOMMUS

pp. Anal rays 7: eye 3-11 of head . .N. JEJUNUS.

ll. Anal fin of 10 or 11 rays; body elongate, ‘silv ery; ‘depth ‘4-19 to 1-6 of length; eye
large; mouth beie oblique.

q. Depth 2 2-11 to 1-6 length.
r. Lateral line much decurved; mouth and eye moderate... . aR ATHERINOIDES.
rr. Lateral line nearly straight; mouth and eye large....................0......N. ARGE.

qq. Dept 4-19 of length.
s. Seven rows of scales between lateral line and dorsal fin; eye 4s length of head;

mouth small, oblique .. DILECTUS
ss. Five rows of scale between lateral line and dorsal fin; ‘ey e 14 of head; yore large
and very oblique.. 3 .N. RUBIFRONS.

kk. Scales before dorsal — very ‘fine, not in ‘regular rows, about 30 on median line;
ody net much EG

t. Anal rays 10 to 12.. wtel SUITOR, fb bles CPa8 & 0 db AL ER Ele omte RIOR Se SG SCN ea

tt. Anal rays 9.. OP et ree ner a ee ree ee a

Votropis anogenus “Werbes,
Taken from the Fox at McHenry and South Chicago.
Notropis cayuga Meek. (98b)

Tail forked; mouth not so large as in the next and less oblique. A dark stripe around the
snout and through the eye, continued on the sides to the base of the caudal fin as a dusky
band which is crossed by numerous darker crescentic or X-shaped marks.

Not abundant, although found in 45 localities, distributed throughout the State. Occurs most
frequently in the Illinois River and northward.

Notropis heterodon (Cope).
External appearance so much like that of V. caywga as to lead easily to their confusion.
Differs from the latter in the larger more oblique mouth, the lower jaw partaking at its edges
of the black of the lateral band.

Not uncommon in the streams to the northward of the Illinois River. Widely distributed,
but rare southwara.

Notropis blennius (Girard).—Straw-colored Minnow. (103)

A very plain minnow, wholly without striking color marks. Scales faintly edged with
dark brown; a brown, mid- ‘dorsal stripe, which is broader at the base of the dorsal fin than
elsewhere. ’ Muzzle decurved; mouth almost horizontal.

: A common species, quite regularly distributed throughout the State. Occurs in 174 col-
ections. =

Notropis seylla (Cope). (105)

Moss much like the preceding, but with short, stout body, blunt head and rather small
mouth.

Rare in Illinois. Specimens in six collections, from central and western Illinois, have
been referred to this species.

1 Care must be taken to avoid confusion of cayuga, anogends and heterodon, particularly
heterodon, with Aybognathus nubila,

2 N. volucellus; not certainly known to occur in Illinois.

3N. longirostris; not certainly known to occur in this State.

63

Notropis gilberti (Jordan & Meek).

A slender species with long head and caudal peduncle. Mouth large, almost horizontal;
scales before dorsal, 17.

Specimens in seventeen collections have been referred to this species. These collections
are from streams in La Salle county and Macoupin county, and from tributaries of the Miss-
issippi river west of the Illinois basin.

Notropis shumardi (Girard). (106)

A fish with a large eye and a large, oblique mouth; the head broad across the top.
Occurs from localities as follows: Wabash basin, Cedar lake, Sangamon river and trib-
utaries, Rock river at Erie, Illinois river at Havana, and creeks near Canton and Carlinville.

Notropis hudsonius (De Witt Clinton).—Spot-tail.

A large, pale minnow, with a black caudal spot.
Most commonly found in the Illinois river and tributary sloughs and lakes; also, less
pomnonly in various parts of the State near the Mississippi river, and in tributaries of Lake
ichigan.

Notropis lutrensis (Baird & Girard).—Red-fin.

This fish is proportionately deeper than any of our other minnows, with the possible
exception of Aéramzs, the thickness and depth immediately behind the head increasing with
Bae sea opalescent and fine red; spring males highly colored; females duller in color than

e males.

This species is confined to western and southern Illinois. Its eastern limits seem to be in
LaSalle and McLean counties. It is exceedingly abundant in Union county, and is found in
sluggish streams as far north as the mouth of Green river. Also found, peculiarly isolated, in
Richland creek, Stephenson county. We have taken it in 117 localities.

Notropis whipplit (Girard).—Lemon-fin; Steel-blue Minnow.

The young of this species are distinguished with difficulty from 4. /wtrensis. The adults
are larger and more elongate than the latter, the upper and lower curves of the body being
eraue and quite uniform from the tip of the pointed snout to the base_of the caudal fin.

oloration less brilliant than in JV. /etrensis; the sides and back marked off into diamond or
lozenge shaped areas by blue lines parallel to and near the exposed edges of the scales, these
markings being more or less distinctive; a black spot usually present on the dorsal fin; fins
of the males in spring a transparent lemon yellow.

Taken in 293 collections, from all parts of the State. Most abundant in the rapid, gravelly
streams oe the area of the later glacial drift. Less common in the lower Illinois basin and
westward.

Notropis cornutus (Mitehill).—Horned Dace: Shiner. (113)

This species is the gamiest of the minnows, growing tu a length of about nine inches.
Recognized by the great depth of the exposed edges of the scales. Spring males much
colored with salmon pink, and the head covered with tubercles.

Occurs in collections from 153 localities, but is almost wholly absent from collections
made between the southern Illinois hill region and the latitude of the mouth of the Illinois
river. this area of scarcity corresponding very well with the older glaciated area of southern
Illinois. In this region we have obtained but two collections, one from the Little Wabash
river, in Clay county, and one from a creek in eastern Wabash county.

Notrapis jejunus (Forbes). :
A large pale silvery minnow, without conspicious color markings; in the rounded form of
the scales agreeing with Aybognathus niichalis. , . ; ;
Specimens found in 49 of our collections, made principally in the Illinois River and to the

northwestward. Found a few times in tributaries of the Wabash and Ohio rivers in southern
Illinois, once in Lake Michigan, and once in Logan county.

Notropis atherinoides Rafinesque.

The first fish of the genus to be named. A long thin silvery minnow, with long lower jaw
and oblique mouth. Lateral line decurved. Specimens from Lake Michigan with a very
black stripe on the side.

This species and the three following are found throughout Illinois, but are not sharply
separated in our preliminary determinations, if indeed, that is possible.

Notropis arge (Cope).
Differs from JA. atherinoides in the larger eye and almost straight lateral line.
Notropis dilectus (Girard).
Depth greater and mouth smaller than in \V. atherinoides.
Notropis rubrifrons (Cope).
Notropis wmbratilis (Girard).—Red-fin. (123).

Body short and compressed; very fine scales before the dorsal; anal fin long (rays 11).
The males are highly colored; body of variegated bluish, greenish, purple, and opalescent;
fins deep red in spring. i ,

Found everywhere, but occurs most commonly in large creeks and small rivers, being
most abundant southward. The several varieties of this species which occur in the State have
not yet been carefully discriminated in our collections.

64

Ericymba buecata Cope.

Body cylindrical; in general appearance like the straw colored minnow (WN. dlennius).
Lower jaw much enlarged, with mucous cavities which appear on the outside as vitreous
streaks; eyes directed slightly upwa.d, giving to the fish a peculiar watchful expression.

Abundant in the upper Wabash basin; taken also from the Iroquois basin near Watseka.
Its occurrence in the latter place due probably to its crossing the low divide near Hoopeston
by aid of high water or the changes of water courses through artificial drainage.

Phenacobius mirabilis (Girard).—Sucker-mouth Minnow.

Mouth inferior; upper lip thickened outwardly and sucker-like; form of body similar to
that of the common red-horse. This species and P. scopifer (Cope) are not readily distinguish-
able in our collections. The first is described with 48 to 52 scales in the lateral line, the second
with 43 to 45, this being the usual basis of separation. Our specimens are intermediate, having
from 43 to 50 scales. We have therefore called them collectively 7. miradiiis.

Taken in 140 localities, in moderately swift water, throughout the State.

Rhinichthys atronasus (Mitchill).—Black-nosed Dace.

In general appearrnce very much like the Stone roller (Campostoma anomalum), but with
a barbel at each corner of the mouth: the males differing in having a stripe on the side which
varies with seasons from crimson to pale salmon-color.

Found in rapid streams, widely distributed throughout the State, but nowhere common.
Not yet taken from tributaries of the Wabash or of Lake Michigan.

KEY TO ILLINOIS SPECIES OF THE GENUS HYBOPSIS.
a. Small slender species with mouth inferio1; usually silvery.
b; Barbelsi4. eeeo saccwen carer ta tanadessee sjesclesja'ds nie vp Yo.njuinvinld oync AS Sel pee SS
bb. Barbels 2.°
.-c. Eye small, its length less than 14 that of head.
d. Length of eye about 44 of head; length or barbel about 1g of head; scales every-
- where dusted with black specks over silvery color.................H. HYOSTOMUS.
dd. Length of eye about 1-6 of head; length of barbel about 3-5 of eye; fine black
specks on posterior burder of scales of back; lower lobe of caudal dark, with
white border.'
cc. Eye large, its length about 4g or more of head; sides blotched; dusky or silvery.
e. Mottled with black or brown.
£.iScalesil6-to'l$ibeforeidorsale sas nsohe fone. on tok meee eee so oe eae H. DISSIMILIS-
ff. Scales 20'toi24 before dorsal... .ccccesc vc« acces cece os ceencle sees sae a eee ete ee
ee. Not mottled; silvery, dusted with dark specks, or scales edged with dusky.
g. Head large, length 44 that of body, flattened above; muzzle bluntly decurved; eye

+6 lenge thiof heads. 5. 420. Sts. tane ote at acke wen cecal. Cena te het nee H. AMBLOPS.
gg. Head short, length less than 14 of body; cheeks nearly vertical: a fleshy pad on
EnGiOL SMOUES Ie rete idtede te ecrchl = oie ateieicle eee nenen H. STORERIANUS.

aa. Large species, with rather heavy body; mouth large, almost terminal; not silvery.
: , H. KENTUCKIENSIS.
Hybopsis tetranemus (Gilbert).

The only native minnow with four barbels. A small, slender, silvery fish with large fins.
Length 2 inches.

Hybopsis hyostomus (Gilbert).

Snout long ana acute, projecting half its length beyond the mouth. A silvery minnow.
’ Specimens referred to A. Ayostomus have been taken from the Illinois river at Havana and
Nees and from the middle fork of the Big Vermilion river on the Champaign-Ford county
ine.

Hybopsis dissimilis (Kirtland).—Spotted Shiner.

In form much like the sucker-mouth minnow (Phenacodius); length 3 to inches. Dis-
tinguished readily fram Phenacobtus by the pair of barbels, the form of the lip, and the dark
irregular mottling of the back-and sides.

Taken from Rock river at Rockford and Dixon, from Tomahawk creek near LaSalle,
Spoon river at London Mills, Sangamon river at Decatur, and Embarras river at Charleston.

Hybopsis watauga Jordan & Evermann.

Like H. dissimilis in many respects; but with a bluish stripe passing around the snout, the
stripe bearing 8 to 12 small black spots.

Hybopsis amblops (Rafinesque).—Silver Chub; Big-eye Chub.

Head large and flattened; eyes directed upward; color silvery. ‘ J

Not infrequent in the streams of the Wabash and Ohio basins; taken five times from the
middle course of the Illinois river and once from near its mouth; taken also from near the
mouth of Rock river, from a pond near Quincy, from the Sangamon river, and-five times
from the Kaskaskia river.

Hybopsis storerianus (Kirtland).

Second in size among the species of this genus. A silvery chub, in appearance and size
somewhat like Aydognathus nuchalis. Mouth inferior, overhung by the snout, which bas a
peculiar fleshy pad on the end; barbels minute; cheeks vertical; eye high and sitnated mid-
eee front and back of head; body tapering forward from the front of the dorsal;
head small.

1 1. gelidus; not certainly known to occur in Illinois.

65

_ Nowhere common, though widely distributed in Iinois—from Cairo to East Dubuque
and from Danville to Quincy. Not taken from the Little Wabash, Big Muddy, Kaskaskia or
Rock river basins, and found at only two points in the Illinois basin—the Illinois river at
Ottawa and Crooked creek in Hancock county.

Hybopsis kentuckiensis (Rafinesque).—River Chub; Horny-head.

A minnow of large size, growing to a iength of 6to 9inches. Body fusiform, stout, about
evenly curved dorsally and ventrally; mouth wide; color olivaceous, sometimes bluish; fins
frequently tinged with yellowish or red. An excellent bait fish for bass because of its hardi-
ness.

Confined to northern Illinois, not being found further south than Crab-apple creek in
Moultrie county, Salt creek in Logan county, and Flower creek in Hancock county.

Couesius plumbeus (Agassiz).

This species may be found in I}linois, but has not yet been taken. Similar to Semmoti/us,
but with smaller scales.

Platygobio pallidus Forbes (147b.)—Misprinted in Appendix. 8th ed., as P.
gracilis.

A small silvery species, reaching a length of 3 inches; barbel prominent. Differs from the
young of /. graci/is, with which it has been confused, in the shorter and broader head, broader
interorbital space, wider mouth, and shorter dorsal, anal and pectorals.

Found only in the Ohio River near Cairo, from which locality we have 21 specimens, the
largest of which are about 3 inches long.

FamILy ANGUILLID.Z (THE EELS).

Anguilla chrysypa Rafinesque.—American Eel. (218)

_ _Ascending rivers from the sea, to which it returns to spawn in the deep water. Common
in large streams in spring.

Famity Hiopontip. (Tur MooN-EYES.)

Hiodon dlosoides (Rafinesque).—Moon-eye.

Known from the next by the strong carination of the belly both before and behind the
ventral fins. Dorsal fin with 9 rays. i
A fish of the large rivers; no longer common in the waters of I]linois.

Hiodon tergisus (Le Sueur).—Moon-eye; Toothed Herring.

Belly not strongly carinate before the ventrals: dorsal fin with 12 rays.
Occasionally taken from the Ilinois and Mississippi rivers; formerly more abundant.

Faminy Dorosomip.2 (THE GiI¥ZARD SHADS).

Dorosoma cepedianum (Le Sueur).—Gizzard Shad; Hickory Shad; Skipjack.

This tish will readily be recognized by the Elongation of the posterior rays of the dorsal.
Very abundant in large streams everywhere, and occasionally taken frém pools in small
streams.

FamiIny Ciuprerp&® (THe HERRINGS).

Pomolobus chrysochloris Rafinesque.--Skipjack; blue Herring. (171)

Not common, but only occasionally taken from large streams. Has been obtained by us
from the Illinois, Ohio,and Mississippi rivers.

Alosa sapidissima (Wilson).—Common Shad. (172)

_ Introduced into waters tributary to the Gulf of Mexico, and since taken from the Ohio
River at Louisville by Dr. Evermann, of the U.S. Fish Commission.

FamiIty SALMONID& (THE SALMON FAMILY.)

Coregonus quadrilateralis Richardson.—Round Whitefish.
Lake Michigan.

Coregonus clupeiformis (Mitchill).—Common Whitefish.
Lake Michigan, chiefly in deep water.

Argyrosomus artedi (Le Sueur).—Cisco; Lake Herring. (186)

Descending the canals from Lake Michigan to the Illinois River. One specimen taken at
Meredosia and three at Ottawa.

—5 FC

665

Argyrosomus hoyi Gill—Moon-eye Cisco.
Lake Michigan, in deep water.

Argyrosomus prognathus (H. M. Smith).—Long-jaw Bloater.
Lake Michigan.

Argyrosomus nigripennis Gill.— Blue-fin; Black-fin.
Lake Michigan, in deep water.

Argyrosomus tullibee (Richardson).—Tullibee; ‘*Mongrel Whitefish.”
Lake Michigan.

Cristivomer namaycush (Walbaum).—Great Lake Trout: Mackinaw Trout.
Lake Michigan.

Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchill).—Brook Trout; Speckled Trout.

_ Attempts have frequently been made to introduce this and other trout into the streams of
Illinois, but apparently entirely without success. Trout will not thrive where the tempera-
ture of the water at any time exceeds 60 degrees.

Famity UmMBriID# (THE MUD-MINNOWS.)

Umbra limi (Kirtland).—Mud-minnow.

This little fish has a form very much like that of the common dogfish (Amia Calva). It
can, however, be at once distinguished from the latter by itssmall dorsal fin, which has but
14 rays, while the number is 42 to 53 in Amia.

Usually taken from grassy ponds or muddy creeks, which it apparently prefers to large
open waters. Taken in 29 localities throughout the State.

Faminty Luciip.® (THE PIKEs).

Lucius vermiculatus (Le Sueur).--The Little Pickerel. (214)

The little pickerel seldom exceeds 12 inches in length. It differs from our other species
(L, ducius) in this respect, and in having the cheeks and opercles fully scaled. =
eS Found in grassy prairie creeks and along weedy margins of larger streams throughout the

ate.

Lucius lucius (Linnzeus).—Common Pike; Pickerel. (216)

A voracious feeder, taking fishes of considerable size; the jaws provided with strong back-
War eens teeth. Differs from the preceding in having the lower portion of the opercle
are.
No longer common, but found in all sections of the State.
Lucius Masquinongy (Mitchill).—Muskallunge. (217).

Sis pias from the preceding two species in having the lower portion of both cheeks and
opercle bare.
Taken in Lake Michigan; has been said to occur in the lakes of northern Illinois (Nelson.)

Famity Paciuim® (THE KILLIFISHEs).

Fundulus diaphanus menona (Jcrdan & Copeland).—Top-minnow.
Found in Illinois only in the lakes of the northeastern part and in Rock River.

Fundulus dispar (Agassiz).—Top-minnow. (208)

The body marked with several narrow vertical bars of dark color.
Found throughout the State in the quiet weedy pools of smaller streams, or along the
margins of larger streams. (Quite rare northwaru.

Fundulus notatus (Rafinesque).—Top-minnow. (206)

oe ee side and around the snout a large dark purplish stripe, with sometimes a sugges-
tion of bars.
Common throughout the State in such situations as described for /. dispar.

Gambusia afinis (Baird & Girard).—Top-minnow. (211)
A tivy top-minnow, with deep body. The males are very minute and scarce.
_ Taken from seventeen localities in southern Illinois; two specimens from Havana pro-
visionally referred to this species.
Gambusia nobilis (Baird & Girard).—Top-minnow.

Similar to G. afinis, but less common in our collections. Possibly identical with the pre-
ceding, specimens being overgrown examples of that species. -
From Johnson county, and from ponds near the Wabash river opposite Mt. Carmel.

67

Famity AmMBLyopsip.2 (Tum BLIND Frsres).

Chologaster papilliferus Forbes.

The eyes of these fishes are imperfect, and they otherwise show relationships with the
blind fishes of the caves, which have not yet been taken in I]linois.

Taken only from a spring under a bluff of the Mississippi river west of Cobden, Ill.
These fishes have been obtained by only two or three collectors. Mr. E. B. Forbes, the most
recent collector, secured about two dozen specimens, which he was able to dip up from
among the rocks with atin cup.

FAMILY GASTEROSTEID.L (THER STICKLEBACKS).

Eucatlia inconstans (Kirtland).—Brook Stickleback.

A northern form, not common in Illinois; has been taken from a spring fed slough of
Indian creek near Wedron, in LaSalle county.

Famity PEercopsip.2 (Tue Trour Percnes).

Percopsis guttatus (Agassiz).—Trout Perch; Sand-roller.

This peculiar fish is no doubt frequently overlooked by inexperienced collectors, who
mistake it fora minnow. Its small adipose fin will distinguish it from all other scaly fishes
common in Illinois except the whitefishes, from which it differs in the form of the body and
in tue spiny rays of the dorsal, anal and ventral fins. ‘he sides are marked with round dusky
spots; color otherwise pale.

Found in Lake Michigan, and in the Illinois river from Ottawa to Meredosia. Not very
common.

Famity APHREDODERID.® (THe PIRATE PERCHES.)

Aphredoderus sayanus (Gilliams).—Pirate Perch.

This fish, like the last, is frequently overlooked by collectors because of its superficial
resemblance to the,sunfishes; called ‘‘half breeds’? by a boy who thought them a cross
between sunfish and minnows. Head broader than in the sunfishes; dorsal spine but three or
four in number; vent in adults in front of the ventral fin.

Taken in ninety-two collections from muddy pools throughout the State.

Faminy ATHERINIDA (THE SILVERSIDES).

Labidesthes sicculus (Cope).—Brook Silverside; Skipjack.

A slender. silvery fish, commonly mistaken by unobserving fishermen for a minnow.
The small tuft-like spinous dorsal fin with four rays; soft dorsal with eleven rays; anal elongate
consisting of a spine and twenty-three soft rays. ‘The form of.the mouth is peculiar, being
prolonged into a sort of beak, the lower jaw curved downward.

Abundant near the shores of larger streams and lakes, and frequently taken from the
grassy parts of prairie creeks. Generally distributed over the State.

FAMILY ELASSOMID.£ (THE PIGMY SUNFISHES).

Elassoma zonatum Jordan.—Pigmy Sunfish.

A tiny sunfish-like fish without a lateral line and with only 4 or 5 dorsal spines; on the
sides 11 dark vertical bands; beneath the dorsal a black spot, and at the base of the caudal a
blackish bar. 4

From five Illinois localities, all in the southern part of the State, as follows; Drew pond,
White county; Swan pond, St. Francisville; Little Fox river, Phillipstown; Wabash river,
Wabash station; and Running lake, Union county.

FAMILY CENTRARCHID.£ (Tit SUNFISIE#S.)
KEY TO ILLINOIS GENERA OF CENTRARCHID®.

a. Dorsal and anal fins nearly equal in size.
Ee POLES) cat Gktearsas or is edley tas dav oiniie vatgeins ax2 a iae'e sca ua Saretad <cieesas tad. ap POMOXIS.
bb. Dorsal spines 11 or 12.. Ses eae ashe ea uno tea aek ce ane CEN DAR GES.
aa. Dorsal fin much larger than anal. |
c. Body short and GES s rep weaalty more than 2-5 of length.
d. Anal spines 6.. PO deh a Ode be ca tstga Poukas jaa bic ctet je. tL QUE
dd. Anal spines ce
e. Tongue and pterygoids with teeth; mouth large; depth 2-5 ro 1-2 of length.
CH#®NOBRYTTUS.
ee. Tongue and pterygoids toothless; depth about 2-5 of length.
APOMOTIS, EUPOMOTIS, AND LEPOMIS.
cc. Body elongate; depth 1-3 of length; dorsal fin low, with 19 spines; deep emar-
gination at juncture of soft and spinous dorsals; mouth large... MICROPTERUS.

68

Pomozis annularis Rafinesque.—White Crappie; Crappie.

Differing from the next species in the more gradual slope of the profile from the front of
the dorsal, the lighter general color, the arrangement of the dark color in definite bands on
the side, and the lesser depth of body.

Dorsal and anal fins of about equal size; dorsal spines 6 or 7, more commonly 6.

Very abundant and generally distributed through the State, with the exception of the
Rock and Wabash basins, where it is not very common.

Pomovis sparoides (Lacépéde). Calico Bass; Strawberry Bass; Black Crappie:
Crappie.

Colors darker than in P. aznularis; dorsal and anal larger and much mottled with black;
sides irregularly mottled with dark green or black. Profile of head steeper and more
abruptly recurved just behind the snout than inthe preceding; dorsal spines from 6 to 10 in
number, usually 7 or 8.

Widely distributed, but not abundant in rapid streams.

Centrarchus macropterus (Lacépéde).—Round Sunfish; Flyer.

A small fish with rows of dark spots on the sides much asin the rock bass (Awdbloplites
rupestris); body very thin; dorsal and ventral outlines strongly and symmetrically curved;
dorsal and anal fins about equal in size.

Taken only from southern Illinois. Our collections are from Auxier creek and north
fork of the Saline river in Hamilton county, a branch of the Big Muddy in Franklin county,
Cache river in Johnson county. and two localities on Clear creek in Union county.

_Ambloplites rwpestris (Rafinesque). Goggle-eye; Red-eye; Rock Bass.

Well known by the common names given above. Living in deep pools near swift water
or in drifts, where it bites quite readily on any ordinary bait, sometimes even taking a fly
cast for bass. A ‘young fisherman’s fish, and of fair quality as a pan-fish.

Common in the northern part of the State, taken once from the Kaskaskia river at Cow-
den and once in Union county. Infrequently taken in large bodies of water.

Chanobryttus gulosus (Culver & Valenciennes).—Warmouth Bass; Goggle-eye.

Somewhat like the last in general appearance and habits, but with much deeper color and
more of aliking for sluggish water. A fair fish for pond culture, growing to considerable
size and making a very egud fry.

Common in favorable situations throughout the State; rare in the Wabash basin, Rock
river basin, and in the gravelly streams of cent al Illinois.

KEY-TO ILLINOIS SUNFISHES OF THE GENERA APOMOTIS, LEPOMIS, AND EUPOMOTIS C

a. Body elongate; depth 2-5 of length; scales in lateral line 45 to 55; mouth large; usually
a stellate black spot on base of soft dorsal; in life with acoppery margin on opercular
flap and pale blue spots on the scales...................-..... APOMOTIS CYANDLLUS.

aa. Body not elongate; depth 4-9 to 5-10 of length.

b. Lateral line developed on less than half the scale .... APOMOTIS SYMMETRICUS.
bb. Lateral line well developed, pores on all but a few scales.
c. Black opercular flap without margin of lighter color.
d. Anal rays 8 to 10; scales in lateral line 36 to 45, 31 to 40 developed pores; oper-
cular flap frequently large and long, always broad, and striate longitudinally.
LEPOMIS MEGALOTIS.
dd. Anal rays 10 to 12; scales in lateral line 43 to 52, pores developed on 40 to 50 scales;
opercular flap not much elongate; a black spot on dorsal fin.
LEPOMIS PALLIDUS.
ec. Opercular flap with a margin of light color or a red spot on posterior edge.
e. Scales in lateral line usually less than 40.
f. Anal with 8 to 10 soft rays; sides regularly spotted with red, orange, or dark
brown spots.
g. Opercular flap short, portion on bone of 0; erculum black, membranous portion

joy eer er eM eo ee ee ete SS
gg. Opercular flap an elongate membrane, the center black and the margin very
pale pink or silver white..... .. LEPOMIS HUMILIS.

ff. Anal usually with 11 soft rays; sides not regularly spotted as described above.
EUPOMOTIS HEROS.

ee. Scales in lateral line 40 to 47.
h: Opercular flap with a pale margin..... .................... APOMOTIS ISCHYRUS.
hh. Opercular tap with red spot on edge; 4 rows of scales on cheeks; also wavy
blue streaks ........ ... 4 weeessees.+sHUPOMOTIS GIBBOSUS.

Apomotis cyanellus (Rafinesque.)—Blue-spotted sunfish; Green Sunfish. (307).

Of sufficient size to make it a pan-fish of some economic importance; taken readily by

unskilled anglers. >
Distributed with remarkable impartiality throughout the State in the smaller streams, the

largest specimens coming from small sluggish creeks. We have taken it in 220 localities.

Apomotis ischyrus (Jordan & Nelson.) (310).

Our collection of this species include the original type, from the Illinois river, and two or
three others of very doubtful identity.
Apomotis symmetricus (Forbes). (309).

This species is represented in our collections by specimens from Union county, from
Cairo, and from several points on the lower Wabash river; has also been taken in the Illinois
river.

69

Leponis garmani (Forbes).

A very handsome fish of dark color, with rows of orange-colored spots on the sides;
among the most nnished in appearance of all suntishes.

Krom Pecatonica river at Freeport, a creek near Warsaw, Round pond at Hamilton,
middle course of the Illinois river, creeks near Lincoln, and Big Fox river in White county.

Lepomis megatotis (Rafinesque).—Long-eared Sunfish.

In this fish the opercular flap is quite variable in size, being 44 the length of the head
sometimes in large specimens.

Common in clear streams southeastward of,the region of Pontiac, which is the locality of
aaa northward occurrence. Not yet taken from the Illinois river or from streams west
of it

Lepomis humilis (Girard).—Orange-spotted Sunfish.

This fish may be easily recognized by the silvery white or pale pink margin of the thin
flexible opercular flap; the palest of our sunfishes. A considerable degree of sex dimor-
phism is exhibited by this species. The males have orange-colored spots on the sides instead
of dark brown, as in the females; measurements of males and females by Mr. W. E. Howard,
of Ottawa, Ill., have shown also that in the former the profile is steeper, with forehead con-
cave, and that ‘the ventrals are longer, reaching past the vent.

Found very generally distributed in the State, except in the upper Rock river basin, Fox
river and tributaries, and the DuPage, Desplaines, and Kankakee basins. Not common in the
sluggish portions of creeks.

Lepomis pallidus (Mitehill).—Biue-gill.

The most important of the sunfishes as a food fish. The name blue-gill refers to the blue
color usually found on the lower portion of the cheeks. Korm of the body orbicular, a black
spot usually present on the dorsal posteriorly.

Generally distributed and quite common in the larger streams; apparently not found in
the upper portion of the Wabash basin; not very common southward,

Eupomotis heros (Baird & Girard). (318b)

“4 eee like the preceding, but with a blood-red margin on the opercular flap in
the male.

Taken from two ponds near St. Francisville, and from a pond opposite Mt. Carmel; a
specimen also recorded from Onion creek, at Topeka, III.

Eupomotis gibbosus (Linneeus),—Pumpkin-seed; Common Sunfish. (319)

Wavy blue lines on the cheeks and opercles; colors very bright, with much yellow; oper-
cular flap with red on the posterior margins.
' Abundant in the Illinois basin; especially so to the lakes of northeastern Illinois. Other-
mise widely distributed, but nat abundant. Not found in collections from the Wabash or its
tributaries.

Micropterus dolomiew Lacépede.—Small-mouth Bass; Green Bass: Red-eye
Bass.

The gamiest of Illinois fishes. Often confounded with the large-mouth bass by the in-
experienced, although the separation on a basis of the finer scales in this species (17 rows on
cheek and 72 to 80 in the lateral ue) is quite easy. The young may be readily recognized by
the white margin of the caudal fin.

Found in large clear streams. Nottaken from the Wabash or Kaskaskia basins. Other-
wise generally distributed in favorable situations.

Micropterus salnoides Lacépéde.—Large-mouth Bass; Black Bass; Green Bass.

Scales on the cheeks in about 10 rows; 65 to 70 in the lateral line. The young have a very
marked black stripe on the sides and around the snout. The stripe breaks up later into spots,
wHich etadually disappear with age, but usually noticeable until the third year, and some-
times later.

Common throughout the State in the sluggish portions of streams.

FamiIty Percip® (THE PERCHES.)
“KEY TO ILLINOIS GENERA OF THE FAMILY PERCID.

a. Pseudobranchia well developed; branchiostegals 7; no anal papilla; mouth large, ter-
minal; fishes growing to a weight of 1 lb. or more.
b. Canine teeth on jaws and palatines; body cylindrical, eat asa ventrals separated
by a space equal to width of base... ; .STIZOSTEDION.
bb No canine teeth, body oblong, slightly ‘compressed .. .PERCA.
aa. Pseudobranchia small or w anting; branchiostegals 6; anal papilla’ usually present;
small fishes, never exceeding 10 inches in length, usually much smaller.
c. Lateral line developed, at least anteriorily.
d. Body usually almost cylindrical; nuchal region never much compressed; skull im-

mediately behind eyes, — shaped in cross section. nd
e. Breadth of cranium between eyes about equal to diameter of orbit; snout _pig-like,
projecting much beyond mouth. .... Baas eee ete tects RGM AS

ag Breadth of interorbital space less than diameter of. ey e.
f. Body not extremely elongate and not hyaline.
g. Mouth more or less oblique, terminal; head rather pointed; belly with enlarged
scales or a naked strip.

70

h. Premaxillary broadly joined to skin of forehead, free only at sides. HADROPTERUS.
bh. Premaxillary separated from skin of forehead by a BHOeS ed which is sometimes
crossed by a narrow frenum. fee .. COTTOGASTER.

BE Mouth inferior, horizontal; profile ‘much decurved.
. Anal spines 2, well developed; ventral fins close together, an enlarged scale be-

tween their bases.. .DIPLESION.
. Anal spine 1, weak; “yventrals separated by ‘a space equal to width of base.
BOLEOSOMA.

ff. Body extremely elongate; hyaline in life.

j. Body very pale, marked with rows of black spots; very slender, c i Far pre-
maxillary protractile: $3). S0l54 | A eee ee ee MMOCRYPTA,

jj. Body mottled with dark above and with black spots on sides; terete; head de-
pressed; snout long; premaxillary not protracttle. . ..CRYSTALLARIA.

dd. Body compressed (or cylindrical); skull just behind eyes ‘A- -shaped in cross-

section; premaxillary never protractile ; belly covered with ordinary scales.

k. Lateral line straight; body rather stout; caudal peduncle not noticeably long and

slender; head usually more or less pointed; mouth nearly or quite terminal.

ETHEOSTOMA.

kk. Lateral line arched, parallel with line of back; repr Pipa = slender; profile
much decurved; mouth inferior. . Hae , _........ BOLEICHTHYS.
cc. Lateral line wanting... x .. MICROPERCA.

Stizostedion vitreum (Mitchill) —Wall- -eyed Pike: Jack ‘Salmon.

A well known fish, of large size, with fusiform body; well developed canine teeth on the
jaws and palatine bones, asin the next species; a large jet-black spot on the posterior two
membranes of the spinous dorsal.

Common in the Illinois basin and in the northwestern portion of the State. Taken once
fom ie Kaskaskia river at Vandalia, and in large numbers from the Wabash above Mt.

armel.

Stizostedion canadense (Smith).—Sauger; Sand Pike.

Spinous dorsal with two or three rows of round black spots, but without a black blotch on
the posterior rays; second dorsal with three irregular rows of round dark spots.

We have specimens from the Kock river at Dixon, from lakes about Quincy, and from
the Illinois river at Pekin. Reported from other places northward. Less common fhan the
preceding species.

Perea flavescens (Mitchill).—Yellow Pereh; Ringed Perch.

A very common lake fish. found also in streams. Much sought by the pot-fisherman;
may often be caught on a hook baited with a piece of red flannel; the individuals of a school
will usually bite until the last one is taken. The flesh is of fine flavor when fried.

Common in Lake Michigan, and in the small glacial lakes. Also common in the Illinois
river at Ottawa, Peoria, Havana and Meredosia, and in lakes about Quincy.

Percina caprodes (Rafinésque).—Log Péreh; Hog Pereh; Giant Darter. (337)

A fish well known to boys and often caught by them on pin-hooks, “along with ‘red-
eyes,’ ‘stone-totters,’ ‘horny-heads,’ and other ‘boys’ fish’”’ Its large size, cylindrical form,
yellowish color, with narrow black bars, and its pig-like snout will serve to distinguish it
from other darters. .

Occurs infrequently in the south half of the State. Frequently taken northward in
gravelly situations.

KEY TO ILLINOIS SPECIES OF THE GENUS HADROPTERUS.

a. Head pointed; lower jaw projecting; colors never very dark; a row of black spots on
sides; a brilliant red or orange band on membranes of spinous dorsal.
H. PHOXOCEPHALUS.
aa. dean more obtuse; lower jaw included, but mouth terminal: much dark coloration on
sides.

b. Gill inembranes either connected or not connected across the isthmus, the connec-
tion, if present, not exceeding in width the diameter of the eye; border of pre-
opercle not serrate

¢c.. Dorsal’ SpINeS13.tOW Dig deeda she geek alee oy aN eso Ge YS Ree ag bb oc nee

cc. Dorsal spines 11 or 12.

d. Nape scaled; no red or green markings; sides with 8 or 9 quadrate black spots.

H. OUACHITAE.

dd. Nape naked; coloration brilliant in life, variously yellowish, black, green, bronze,

and rust-red; 7 dark bars extending from lower part of side over back and down

opposite side... .H. BVIDES
bb. Gill membranes broadly ‘connected across ‘isthmus; margin ‘ot breopercle serrate .
SCIERUS

Hadropterus phovocephatus (Nelson). (341)

Form slender; head pointed; mouth nearly terminal; sides with quadrate or diamond-
shaped dark blotches, smaller han in A. aspro, Sometimes grading into bands; back also
tlotched or banded with dark; spinous dorsal with a band of orange-red.

Taken from 77 localities, distributed throughout Illinois; usually found in the rapids of
large creeks or rivers; rare in southern Illinois.

fl

Hadropterus aspro (Cope & Jordan).—Black-sided Darter. (340)

Sides marked with large black spots. The gill membranes rather narrowly joined across
the isthmus, overlapping or merely joining at the front, all gradations between these con-
ditions occurring. The edges of the preopercle not serrate; premaxillary not protractile;
mouth large and terminal.

In rapid streams in all parts of the State.

Hadropterus evides (Jordan & Copeland). (343)
A few specimens from Rock river in Ogle county, 1877.
Hadropterus scierus Swain. (342)
Differing distinctly from AH. asprvo in the serration of the preopercle and in the broader
connection of the gill membranes across the isthmus.

One specimen taken from Skillet Fork, in Wayne county. Several others referred to this
species are possibly only varieties of 77. aspro.

Cottogaster wranidea (Jordan & Gilbert).

Not identified in our collections, but reported from the lower Wabash basin, in Indiana,
by Dr. Evermann.

Cottogaster covelandi (Jordan). (336)
Occurs throughout central Indiana in clear brooks.
Cottogaster shumardi (Girard). (336)

With much the appearence of the black-sided darters, (genus Hadropterus), from which it
is separated by the protractile premaxillary. Males with a very deep and long anal fin, which
reaches beyond the base of the caudal in some instances.

Not common in Illinois. Found in the Wabash river in Wabash county, in the Kaskaskia
tee at Carlyle and Cowden, twice in the Illinois river, near Meredosia, and five times at

avana.

Diplesion blennioides (Rafinesque).—Green-sided Darter. (332)

A large darter, with much decurved profile, small mouth, and large fins; with prominent
green markings. One of the handsomest of our darters.

Confined to the Wabash basin, where it is abundant in the streams of Champaign and
Vermilion counties, less abundant in the Embarras river and its tributaries, and present in one
collection from the Little Wabash riverin Clay county. ccurs in 25 of our collections.

Boleosoma nigrum (Rafinesque).—Johnny Darter. (325-326)

An incons} icuous little fish; the body slender and of pale straw-color, sprinkled with
brown dots or W-Shaped marks.

The Johnny darter lives in almost all situations, but is most commonlv found on sandy
pers Abundant throughout the State in all ourstreams and lakes. Taken in 282 of our
collections.

Boleosoma camurum Forbes. (330)

; ees from &.xigrwm in the more slender body, longer caudal peduncle, and incomplete
ateral line.

Found in southern Illinois and in the Illinois River at Peoriaand Henry in early collec-
tions. More recently it has been taken from Havana, French Creek at Grayville,Salt Creek
near Lincoln,and Johnny Run in southwestern Grundy county.

Crystallaria asprella (Jordan). (324)

Form of the head peculiar, much depressed; caudal peduncle very slender; something of
the color-markings of the black-sided darters.

Specimens have been obtained from the Wabash Riverat New Harmony,from the Mis-
sissippi River at East Dubuque and Warsaw,and from the Rock River at Cleveland, Milan,
and Erie, large numbers having been obtained at the latter place. (enerally rare; unusual to
take more than one in a place.

Ammocrypta pellucida (Baird).—Sand Darter. (322

Body translucent in life; on each side a row of black spots. Scales absent from the belly
and inconspicuous elsewhere; cheeks, opercles,and temporal regions scaled. These fish wiil
instantly bury themselves in the sand by a swift movement.

Not rare in the Wabash basin.from which we have specimens in 13 of our collections.
Found also in the headwaters of the Kaskaskia, in the Sangamon and its tributaries, in Crooked
Creek near Ripley,Spoon River near Lewistown, Bear Creek near Marcelline, Otter Creek at
Streator,and the Kishwaukee River at New Milford.

KEY TO ILLINOIS SPECIES OF THE GENUS ETHEOSTOMA.

a. Lateral line complete.
Gill membranes joining in a wide angle or curve across the isthmus..... E. ZONALE.
bb. Gill membranes scarcely connected; muzzle decurved as in Hipkeasemaes
kf. CAMURUM.
aa. Lateral line more or less incomplete, or, if complete,the gill membranes joining at an
acute angle across the isthmus.
c. Angle between gill membranes acute; membranes joined across in some cases;
lower jaw not projecting.
d. Humeral region without a distinct black scale-like process.
e. Cheeks and opercles scaled.

72

f. Scales about 60; saft dorsal of 10 or Il rays... 52... 0c 0d. <0. cee ob pelea one RNAS»
ff. Scales 47 to 55; soft dorsal with 12 to 14 rays; lateral line almost complete.

E. JESSI.
ée. Cheeks naked; opercles scaled oo. ooo evens cceiscs 0.00 au cvlsions oc doe > «dpe eee ee a
dd. Humeral region with a distinct black rrocess or scale.
g. Scales in about 50 diagonal rows; lateral line developed on less than 30 scales.

ho @heeks naked* Gpercles scaly’... sso. .ce esses oc cules aeee vee ee E. TIPPECANOE.
hh. Cheeks, and operclesinaked |... ..2siJuolsaitiad 00. $10. 205s ohn Jes eee cee ee Ss
gg. Scales in about 60 diagonal rows; lateral line almost complete ....E. SQUAMICEPS.

cc. Gill membranes joining broadly across the isthmus ina gentle curve (no angle);
body slender; head pointed; lower jaw projecting; first dorsal in males with
fleshy knobs on ends of spines in breeding season...............E. FLABELLARE.

Etheostoma zonale (Cope).

Readily distinguished from other darters of this genus by the broad connection of the
branchiostegal membranes across the isthmus. Body in spring with bands of greenish,
which become bluish in Jater summer.

By far the greater number of our collections of this species come from streams north of
the upper course of the Illinois Ry ELANCE the Rock River basin. In addition we have
one collection from the Little Fox River in White county,a few from streams in Woecdford
county,and some from the Vermillion River and tributaries in Livingston and LaSalle
counties.

Etheostoma camurum (Cope).—Blue-breasted Darter.

Highly colored, ‘‘perhaps the prettiest of fresh-water fishes.”

Early collections of this species appear from Peoria, from Union county and from the
Saline and lower Wabash basins. A darter which belonged apparently to this species, taken
more-recently by Mr. J. P. Bauer, of the U.S. Fish Commission, from a pond near Naples,
Ill., was brought into the laboratory at Meredosia and inadvertently lost. before the prelim-
inary identification could be verified.

Etheostoma iowce Jordan & Meek.

_ The males of this species are strikingly marked on the sides and on the spinous dorsal
with dark brown and rust-red. The females are plainer, with olive bands, and bear some
’ resemblance to the females of the rainbow darter.

From Pistakee Lake; Green River at Geneseo; Pecumsaugum Creek in LaSalle county;
Salt Creek, Lincoln; Little Fox River, White county; and E. Dutchman's Creek, Vienna.
Quite abundant in Pecumsaugum Creek. —

Etheostoma jessic (Jordan & Brayton).
= eee common darter, of brown color, with a curved band of orange-red on the spinuus
orsal.

The common darter of large sluggish streams; not found north of the Illinois basin and
not common in southern Illinois, expcept in the south portion of the Wabash basin.

Etheostoma carulewm Storer.—Blue Darter: Rainbow Darter. Soldier fish.
_. The males are strikingly marked with red and blue, which colors appear in bands on the
sides and on the dorsal fin. The femals are plainer, with drab and olive bands. Body
quite thick and deep; head large. Common throughout the State.
Etheostoma tippecanoe Jordan & Evermann.
A few specimens have been provisionally referred to this species, but are questionable.
Etheostoma obeyense Kirseh.

Several specimens have been found in Hardin county which correspond to descriptions
of this Kentucky species.

Etheostoma squamiceps Jordan.

This fish is much like the next in general appearance, with head of similar form and of
brownish color. The body is much heavier than is common among darters.
Taken in five localities in Hardin county, and once near Anna, in Union county.

Etheostoma flabellare Rafinesque.

: Body long; lower jaw projecting; mouth large. Color decidedly brownish; males with

an orange-colored spinous dorsal, the spines of which are tipped with flesky knobs; fins in

both sexes large and barred with black in delicate pattern. Northern specimens have the

eee on the sides arranged in parallel lines of brown, and are known as variety /ineolateme
gassiz).

This species is taken occasionally from creeks and small rivers in all parts’ of the State
Boleichthys fusiformis (Girard). (366)
A fine-appearing little fish. Body deep anteriorly; caudal peduncle slender; profile

much decurved; lateral line not reaching further back than second dorsal, placed high,
and parallel with the lines of the back. Rare, but widely distributed.

Microperea punctulata Putnam.—Least Darter. (368)

A tiny fish, among the smallest of the vertebrates; commonly not more than an inch in
length and ordinarily escaping the collector. Known from all other darters by the absence
of the lateral line.

Most frequently taken from the lakes and’ streams of northeastern Illinois. Taken also
from Mackinaw Creek in Woodford county, Skillet Fork in Wayne county, and Drury Creek
in Union county.

FAMILY SERRANID-E (Tite SeA Bass),

Roceus chrysops (Ratinesque).—White Bass.

Body deep, appearance much as in the Centrarchidze. Color silvery, with a variable
number of narrow dusty lines on the sides. Anal spines graduated in length. An excel-
lent food fish.

Not uncommon in the Illinois River; found also im the Mississippi and in large streams
tributary to it and the Illinois. Not reported from the Wabash basin.

Morone interrupta Gill.—Striped Bass; Yellow Bass: Streaker.

A fish similar to the last, but with more distinct markings on the sides, the dark lines
being interrupted below the lateral line and near the front of the anal fin. First anal spine
longer than the rest. Distributed like Roccus chrys_ps.

FAMILY ScLeNIDA (THE CROAKERs).

Aplodinotus grunniens Rafinesque.—Grunter; Sheepshead: White Perch.

Ventral line almost sttaight; back much arched; color silvery; dorsal fin long; the lateral
line extending to the end of the caudal fin on the middle ray. An excellent food fish.
Distributed as the two preceding species; also reported from the Saline River.

Famity Corrimp« (THE: ScuLpPrys).

Cottus ictalops (Rafinesque).—Miller’s Thumb; Muftle-jaw; Spring-fish. (406)

A scaleless fish with loose skin about the head; spinous and soft dorsal fins; a spine and
four rays in the ventral fin.
Found occasionally in springs and in the clear water of creeks. Taken most abundantly
in southern Illinois in early collections.
Cottus ricei Nelson.

Described in 1876 from two specimens which were taken from deep water of Lake Michi-
gan off Evanston. Four ventral rays.

Uranidea kumlienii Hoy.

From deep waters of Lake Michigan. Three ventral rays.
Uranidea hoyi Putnam. (411)

From deep waters of Lake Michigan. Three ventral rays.

FAMILY GADID& (THE Cops).

Lota maculosa (Le Sueur).—Burbot; Ling; Lake Lawyer.

Readily known by its elongate body, short first and long second dorsal, long anal, and
single barbel on chin. The fresh-water representative of the cod family.

Not uncommon in the large lakes of North America. Occasionally found in the streams
of the Mississippi valley.

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