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Lo.voMOORE & Co., Peixtixo House, 67 Great St. James Street. 1865. ORDER, FAMILf , AND GENUS OF IV. AJMERIC AN IISII WITH THEIU POPULAIl KNULISII NAMKa. ORDER PECTINIBRANCIITI Family PERciDiE. (jenus Porca (Common Perch). " Liibrax {Lake Bass). " Iluro {Black Huron). " Pilcoiiia {Little Pickerel). " Lucioperca {Pikc-pcrch). " Boloosoina {Darter). " Centrarchus {liock-bass). " Pomotis {Pond Jlnh). Family TRKsuDiE. Genus Cottus {Bullhead). ' ' Gasterostcus {Stickleltack) Family Scienid^e. (icnus Corvina {Sheepshead). Family EsociityE. Genua Esox {Pike .-nul M- ihat knowledge into quarters where a more costly work could not gaiu admittance. At the present time when the working of the Fish and Game Protccticc Club is bein" so nobly carried on, an additional interest will probably be taken in a study hitherto so neglected ; and the thanks of the community at large arc due to that society, for its untiring zeal in the sportman's cause. That this work then may be useful and instructive to all is the desire of II. BEAUMONT SMALL. Montreal, 1st August, 18GU. I TIIK ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. J;rcs|}4^tatcr Jfis|j. (MIAITKK 1. l.\TllnT\\ \MF,Rir.\. !) Tlu*ro arc five sortM of liiis fn hr (It'scrilictl, vi/ ; |MTtnnil, vciitriil, atiiil, hi {wiirs, timl arc slid most iinport.iiit, iiiaMuncli as thii/ rv\)rvn{'\\\ tlmsc mciiilH'rs in tlio liij;hor ornaiiizcd rrrUhrofn, that aro called lc;js and wind's. Tlic |M'ctoral Hiis, in fact arc only the aiitcrior feet of'((ua'. ami tlio wiuL'S ()ri»irds, presented under a new and strikingly dillereiit Inrni ' tht; three other tins are sini:le, ur in fither words, they ;ire not in syniinotrieal pairs. The iticfomh are the most iinjtortant tft lishes in general, heoa»i?o wo find tlieni in i:nin|>s, where several of the other fins are wajitinL'. In the majority of fishes tluy are id' the s;ime moderate si/.e as the ventrals, but in jiartienhir families they hecome much nmre developed ; they are always eomposi'd of tlexihle and irenerally hranched rays, so as to yield to every stroke on the water made hy fishes in the act of swimmini;. When the shape; is pointed or triangular, the first ray is eitlier very stronL' or spinous. The threat importnnee of this fin to the rapid motion of fishes, is still further manifestcfl hy the fad that in all sueli i^roups as are peculiarly rapid, i\w pectoral fin is pointed, or ratlier triant:;ular. In such families as live in rivers and lakes, or only in shallow, rocky shores, the pectoral fins are for the most part roiuid. It seems probable that unusual strem;th isgiven to the pectorals of such fish as have large heads, for tlu; purpose of additional support ; and it may be further remarked, that it is amont; small headed fishes wc find delicate pectoral?* The ventral fins rank next to the pectoral, as representing the hinder feet of four-footed animals, and the K>gH of birds. That they are less ne- cessary however to the swimminu motion of fishes, than either the dor- sal or caudal, may be perceived from the fact, that in the entire order oi' A f)0( f ('8 or cols, these fins are totally wanting; they are the smallest in size of all the others, but by no means always so. In general thoy arc less than the pectorals, often of the same size, and but very rarely, larger. Much diversity is observable in their situation and form; like the pectorals, the rays are always soft ; but those of the spine- rayed fishes are strengthened by an external spine, which of course is never branched. The dorsal fin, with the anal and cxndal, are the three members for progression, of which nothing analogcnis can be traced among quadru- peds and birds, except that the caudal fin represents the tail-feuthers of the latter, but not the true tail of the former, which is an actual 10 \NIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. continuation A' the vertebra;. The tlorsal, after tlie pectoral, seems to be the most essential ibr the aquatic economy of ii.shes, because there are only a very few instances yet known where it is entirely wanting', and all these occur in the order where tins generally disap- pear. There seems to have been a notion that the office of the dorsal was to preserve the fish in a perpendicular position ; but recent expe- riments do not sanction this idea. The construction of the dorsal is so far like the other fins, that it is generally composed of rays, connected either partially 0/ 'nirely by a membrane. In certain families, where there are two dorsal tins, the hinder one is adipose, i. c. resembling a thick, fleshy lobe attached to the back, and covered by the common skin — of this, examples occur in the salmon family ; while among the cat-fish, these tins are almost universal. The number of the dorsal tins is v.-'riablc ; for although they are all placed on the same line, which is invariably the ridge or summit of the back, they are yet separated, more or less, into divisions ; and these, when perfectly de- tached one from another, are viewed in the light of separate tins, though strictly speaking they should be considered as so many divisions of a single one. Where the intervals are marked by a secession of a connecting mrsmbrane between the rays, there is no difficulty in deter- mining whether a tish has two or three dorsal tins. The general char- acter of the rays of the dorsal is its being strong, rigid and often spinous ; that these spines are used as instruments of defence, becomes evident from the fact of many fishes suddenly raising them, when captured, so as to inflict wounds on the hands of an incautious person. The tirst ray, being invariably stronger than the others, seems to be a structure intended to break the resistance of the water during the swimming of the tish, on the very same principle that a boat or vessel is furnished with a stem. The anal tin may be termed symmetrical to the dorsal ; or at least, its situation on the under part of the tail is analogous to that on the back. It must be observed however, that this tin is always placed behind the vent, so that the length of the tail in many cases is indi- cated by the length of the anal fin. It is subject to very little varia- tion iu form and still less in construction, for it generally corresponds with the hinder part of the dorsal ; it is almost always, nearly the same breadth throughout, and without any particular variation in other res- pects. It is most developed in the apodal order and its representatives, where we have it sometimes extending nearly the whole length of the fish. ANIiMALS OV NORTH AMERICA. 11 The caudal lln alone remains to be noticed. This is as important to the motion of a fish, as a rudder is to a ship, or as the tail of a swallow in directing its flight; and i'rom the action of the caudal fin, the screw propeller of our steamers originated. The experienced lethyologist, well acquainted with the variation of this member, will not fail to observe that the swiftest swimming iisli are all distinguished by a tail more or less forked ; and the most sluggish are invariably characterized by a rounded tail. Now this is precisely what we find in Ornithology, where no instance is upon record of a rounded tail and wings being given to swift flying birds, or the reverse. The shape of the caudal and pectoral fins is almost always symmetrical ; that is to say, the caudal is forked in the same proportion as the pectorals are pointed ; hence we may iufer that the caudal fin in fishes is more im- portant in its offices than is the tail in birds, and this is an additional argument in favour of the importance to be attached to this member. The lateral line, when it exists, deserves much attention ; the scales of which it is formed are always of a peculiar construction —being per- forated in the middle for the free issue of that mucous substance, which is so prevalent among fish, and which is secreted in certain glands beneath ; these scales are generally of a different shape from those of the body ; sometimes raised and carinated, so as to present a prominent edge like that of the sliarp ridge of a triangle ; in others they assume the shape of spines and prickles, while in some the line cannot be distinguished. Many of the soft finned fish, are provided with cirri or barbels, placed round the mouth; these are soft fleshy processes, and are sup- posed to be employed both as organs of touch, and also of allurement to their prey. The cat-fish for example, safely screened from obser- vation in the natural holes or hollows of the bank, throws out his long cirri, which being flexible, may well be taken for worms by other smaller fish, which are thus brought within reach and become an easy prey. Fish are exposed, on all sides, to ihc approach of enemies, from whom there is rarely that facility of shelter afforded in the open water which is enjoyed by land animals. A highly developed state, there- fore, of the organs of sight and smell appears to be necessary to theni; not only for their own safety, but also to discover the food, upon which they subsist ; with these qualities the faculty of touch is hardly required, and we consequently find it partially or nqt at all given. r f 12 ANIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. Before closing this brief sketch of fishes, we must allude to their fecundity, which is something so prodigious as to stagger the belief of ordinary minds. When we say that a single female lays liundreds of thousands of eggs in a single season, the statement is not exaggerated ; and yet the waters are not more densely populated now than they were in the last generation. All fish are more or less carnivorous, feeding on each other ; to supply this food a power of reproduction without parallel in the animal kingdom has been given them ; a momentary pain is all that can be experienced by a fish seized and swallowed in an instant by a larger one ; and though this is probably the fate of millions, little or no corporeal pain can be experienced by a death so instantaneous. The fishes of Canada present a field of observation as but yet par- tially traversed, and one which will well repay minute investigation- It is from the most minute examination of individuals that we derive our grandest generalizations ; it is by making sure each step in our progress, that we gain those heights which enable us to take in at one view, the grand scheme of Creation, and trace its beautiful unity from the days when fishes were the sole representatives of the vertebrates, down to the last act of Creative Power, — man. 1 ! i to their belief of idreds of ;gerated ; ;liey were , feeding without jmentary lowed in J fate of death so yet par- jtigation* ire derive p in our in at one lity from tebrates, CHAPTER IT. ORDER PECTINIBRAXCIin. (Spine Rmjed.) COMMON PERCH — SHARPNOSED PEUCII — BLACK PERCH — WHITE LAKE BASS— BLACK HURON — CHAM PLAIN PICKERING — PICKEREL OR DORf; — DARTER. Genus Perca. — Perca Flavescens. — {American Yellow Perch.) — Color, greenish and gold above, with dark olive green. Vertical bands across the back, usually longest about the middle of the body, and gradually smaller towards the tail. Scales and abdomen golden yellow . Pupils black, irides golden. The Yellow Perch is one of the best known and most widely distri- buted of our fluviatile fishes ; it is found in all the waters of the North- ern and Middle States, extending above the 50th parallel. Its distribution has been much extended within the past twenty years by the artificial water channels which have been so widely constructed. It is found in almost every pond and stream, and is especially abundant in the Great Lakes, as many as two hundred being taken in one day from the wharves therein, at certain seasons. It is closely allied to the European Perch, (Perca fluviatilis.) It varies considerably in size in different localities, but about three poundis is the extreme weight it attains ; it has a dry and sweet flesh, but is ill adapted to satisfy the cravings of a hungry man, on account of its bones, which are particularly numerous, hard and pointed. They generally swim about in schools or shoals, and yet at the same time are not distin- guished for their intelligence, being invariably lured to their destruc- tion by the most bungling anglers, and the more common kinds of bait. They spawn in the autumn, and recover so as to be in fine condition early in the spring. They delight in clear rivers with pebbly bottoms, though sometimes found on sandy or clayey soils. They love a mod- erately deep water, and frequent holes at the mouth of small streams, or the hollows under the banks. In winter they are caught through V 14 ANIMALS (IP NORTH AMKRICA. holes cut in the ice, in i^reat quantities. Cuvier describes two or tliroe species, wliich liowever, seem scarcely distinguishable from the one first described. Pkhca Acuta, — (The Sharp-Nosed J'erch,) — Is distinguished IVom the preceding by tlu; sharpness of its nose, and having seven dark vertical bands, between which are an equal number of spots, or irregu- lar bands. This species is very rare, and the description of it is taken from Mitchell's Cuvier, to whom a specimen was sent from Lake Ontario. iJcKay doubts it being a different species, and thinks it only a variety of the common Perch. While on the subject of Perch, to avoid any confusion that might arise as to the White Perch, we have only to say that it is a migratory fish, seldom ascending the rivers higher than where the waters become brackish. In the Ohio, a fish is abundant under that name, but which on examination by any one acquainted with the fiimy tribe, turns out to be no other than the fish known in Lake Erie as the " Sheep's-Head." But this misapplication of the term Perch is not peculiar to the residents on the Ohio, for we know throughout the Southern States, where the Black Bass is found, it is called the Black Perch ; and in the vicinity of Boston and Nahant, the miserable little fish called the Conner or Bergall, is there desia- nated as a Black Perch ; care must be taken therefore how we accept a name from the uninitiated. The best bait for Perch fishing is a bright red worm, or a small live minnow ; they seldom or never rise at a fly. Where they are numerous they afford good sport to the angler. In fishing for them a float should be used. m^ (lEiNL'S LauRAX. Labrax Nigricans.— (^S/na?/ Black Bass, or Black Perch.)— General colour deep brownish black, more intense on the head and up per part of the body. In the older specimens there is a strong brassy hue throughout, with occasionally dark longitudinal parallel streaks on the upper part of the body. Base of the fins a light greenish yellow ; dge of the membrane of the spinous dorsal, black. Upper portion oi the membrane of the posterior dorsal fin, transparent, and separated from the yellow portion at the base by a tolerably well defined dark baud. This species is mentioned in the New York State Reports, as hitherto undescribed. They seldom reach in weight above one or two throe ! one LAliRAX LINEATUS, I'F.Ut'A SAXATILIS. Ii — Bar raiji, centropome ra^e. laila — Jhir. Ill — Sir I pal JS((ss, /S't-a Bass. V of Acanfhopfi'n/f/ii', oi^ the f;unily of Perciihe ; of the j^onua LaSrnx. iij)oil .H;iH* i.s, incoiiti'stably, after the saliuon, one of the fiuest and most a\\ !roi|uentin,;^ the llivor >St. Ijawreiice and some of its tributaries. It alter- jUents salt and fresh water, whore it breeds diiriiijj^ the spring. It sometimes ctriordinary size; frequeutly some have been eaught at different parts of the awrence, and especially at 8orel Is^lands and near Crane Island, weighing 80 pounds, and even more. »; coast of the United States they are said to have been found of a still larger n some ancient works on ichtyology, which I consulted, Bags are spoken of as li^he 1 the weight of 50, 00, and even 80 pounds. William Herbert, in his work J ad rishing of the United States," moiitions that he saw one of 43 pounds, lor is bluish brown above, silvery on the sides and beneath. But what dis- ti|this iish are black parallel lines along each side from head to tail, to the number i^n to nine, making it one of the most remarkable species of the genus Labrax. lass, which properly speaking is a salt water fish, is also found on the south Gulf of St. Lawrence and in the mouths of the rivers falling into it; it is |rcat quantities in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. this fish is baid to frequent the large streams of the Canadian shore of the Icurs and ^.Jaspe, no attempt, to my knowledge, has been made to fish for it. mouths, whose aige^tioumuijt bo perfunueJ l.v the 'solveTrt KramtfofrTr'lT "'f S^^' '^/Pl-'-^'-'^t"^ without the aid of tntujatiou. lh« Iito ot a lass, from tho ei,- U maturity is i scene of constant vic,lt.ace and hostility to all living things that exust under tlio surtace of the water. iNothwithftandiuK the amazing voracity of this li.h, he is capable of euduriug the wantot food lor 0 great It^ngth of time ; unless, perhaifs, he « — •. X V, . , "••■'^"vcicu. liuf ovaru's i»e in close con- tinuity to the abdomen, and the milt, which consists of a li^ht colored glandular matte.-, i.s disposed in two ^acs, adjiWBut to the back bone ot the male. Of the eggs iIepo.sit«cl^-the geuerahty of lish, not raoio than one iu uvo Jmiidrod brlniis forth, as they form food for small fry, .-vuntio bii-.t.. and fie- queiitiy larg.'r lish; but thosH of the Xa.j^ bein- carefully covered, staiid a mucli butter chance. The youn ' bass do not K-Jin to eat imtil tliny are iiv^ weeks old. ; Tiie trout eat at four weeks, an. the salm,)ii at :,ix ; until this period, the yolk sack supplies all tlu^ir reiiuirements. If it is found desirable to keep bass alive for tlie use of the table lu sunken cai-.., it wi I bj necessary to perforate the air Wp^M^p. hvdHxterouslv wassinsraiiet,.dl« through the body of / I ■ \ ing jcrol lon.. t ..., but., iver Oil 40,0<50 burrels) f« •••••• • • ••••••••• • ••• ••••••••• #• J,6;ii( do 2,802 do 200 do .TI.3 do • ••••• ■•••#• ( 'A-;"" 93,0:<5 gallons " y'L; 'AOrS do .' lo Oil ■" T" J I.4IH) do " '^''"''' •••• ]2,r,n9 skins .■;; w bounds and Tongues 150 barrels *• f>70 do " incs , ccd Uorring 300 boxes '< Total. ■' On i>agc8 133, 135 and 138, for Cattish read Ilnkc. " 2 50, " 8 00 " 11 00 '• 10 00 5 00 0 55 0 65 0 05 0 {10 5 no 4 00 0 25 •••••#••• • loi ^ I.' ;i, $SL",' I it is called the Jtflack I'eroh ; and id the vicinity ot Boston aim i^nimni, the miserable little Hsh called the Cornier or JJergall, is there desig- nated as a Black Perch; care must be taken therelore how we accept a name from the uninitiated. The best bait for Perch fishing is a bright red worm, or a small live minnow ; they seldom or never rise at a fly. Where they are numerous they afford good sport to the angler. In fishing for them a float should be used. (lENlS LabRAX. Labrax Nigricans. — (Small Black Bass, or Black Peich.)-^ General colour deep brownish black, more intense on the head and up per part of the body. In the older specimens there is a strong brassy hue throughout, with occasionally dark longitudinal parallel streaks on the upper part of the body. Base of the fins a light greenish yellow ; dge of the membrane of the spinous dorsal, black. Upper portion oi the membrane of the posterior dorsal fin, transparent, and separated from the yellow portion at the base by a tolerably well defined dark band. This species is mentioned in the New York State Reports, as hitherto undescribed. They seldom reach in weight above one or two lol \ A A ',• ]|: 21 $S2!I1 tiiaiit, desig- accept small ey are hem a tml up (brassy Btreaks fellow ; jortion tarated dark ^rts, as or two i } STRIPED MASS {Pcrca r.clrir) Is a sea fish cluelly found nt;ir the mouths of rivers and armB of tho sea wharo th«y remain moro constantly than any other oct^an fibh. They are rea.lily known from tho fact that th«'y have c•i^;ht parulK-l liiu's ou'thi; nich's, like narrow tap** ; the scales are very h'lrgo ami liistrou-i, re>-enil)ling metal; the eyes are white, head long, aix-l iimli-r jaw projects beyond the upi>er ; it 18 withuut doui t the most leantiful of uU onr native flsherj. I havo been enabled, alter many fiuilU'ss attempts, to breed this maguilicent li.di in frcsii water, wiuue tiny liavo now hocomo abundant. Jlc is a bold biting li:,h, except in Winter, wlieu ho becomes very abstemious, and will only bito in the middle of tho day, when the weather is mbderatt-, and continues to take the hoolc until the mulberry tree bloss;i'ly over tho no.-r the gills, the proper combustion, frlthout depriving thofoocLof : too large a share of carbonized tvad hydrogenated sutwtf^MK thus rendering it fit for another class of fish when voioed. The brain of a bass is small, relative to the size of his head ; it is divided into three equal parts, of which the anterior are nearly contiguous, the third being in tho rear, forms the cerebtilum. Hero may be seen the olfactory and optic nerves. Tho gullet commences below tin; throat, and descends to the stomach; it is smooth, and lined with a mucous substance. The btomach is cylindrical, and diviiled into two parts. -. The swimming bladder is olliptical, and is situated between ; th6;tertebtti9 and the stomach, and wholly included within the peritonccum. The intestin-'S ar.^ placed longitudinally, in.stead of trans- versly as in man. They are short, and terminate in the vent. Tho secondary closely resemble a group of worms, are numer- 0U3, and discharge in two canals that open into tho principal intestine. The liver is yellow, and is situated in the anterior region of the body, and is divided into two lobes; it contains muok ' oil. I The gall-bladder lies directly under the liver, and com-^ mnnicates with tho intestines, by means of the choledochic , canal. The spleen is dark, and placed near the backbone, and is pressed upon by the air bag, which subjects it to constriction ! and dilatation. i Tlie urinary bladder is oval in shape, and. tef rainates imme- diatt'ly under the tail, but does not communicate with the rectum. .jThe'lieart is on the sternum, just under tho p^sterigr grills; its position is longitudinal, and consists of cnja aaricmJ!l^'!:one vtn*,ricle. The aort;* is attached to thd heart. ^^z4ift ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. ir. /\ pounds, beini^ for the jiiost p.-irt about six inches Ion;:, ^\'o liavo taken them abundantly in the Hack River, near Montreal, (a branch of the Ottawa,) but have met with them nowhere else ; by the hnhi- fonts, (whcse ideas of species are as limited as their moans,) they rank under the ordinary title, " Basse." They rise to the fly, and afford much amusement to the sportsman. DeKay say.s they are fre<|ueuf in the Lakes in the Southern part of New York State. Labrax Aliiidus. — (Th WhioLnhcJiuiis.) — Colour, bluish-white above the later.il line, with a few narrow parallel dusky streaks above and beneath this line; sides and belly white; pupils black, irides white, mixed with a little brown. Dorsal and caudal fins, brownish mixed with blue, pectoral fins whitish, tinged with olive green. This is a very common fish in Lake Erie, and is known and sold in Buffalo under the name of " White Jiass." It is a very bold biter, and is esteemed excellent as an article of food. There is another species found only in the St, Lawrence, and said to be peculiar to it, Labhax Notatus, alluded to by DeKay, who thus briefly describes it : ten parallel series of lines forming regularly abbreviated spots; it reaches a great size but is comparatively rare. Genus Huro. — Huro Nigricans.— .(i^/ac/i;//<ed with black. It is exceedingly voracious, and highly jirized as food. It is caught readily with the liook, and appears to prefer as bait the common fresh-water cray fish. The best time for fishing for ii is in the dusk of the evening, with a great length of line out, and keep- ing it gently in motion. The foot of rapids or beneath mill-dams appear to be its favorite haunts. In the heat of summer it seeks the deepest part of the lakes, or in streams the coolest parts concealed under weeds or grass. According to Dr. Kirtland it is one of the most valuable fishes for the table. It sometimes reaches eight or nine pounds in weight. In Chatauque Lake, New York, one of these fish swallowed a duck, which thrust its head through the gill openings of the fish, and having thus destroyed it, both were found dead on the shore. It is found from Ohio, through all the lakes, and through the rivers of the fur country up to the 58tli parallel of latitude. As is the case with the Maskelongc, the Pickerel is among the first of the tinny tribe that run up our rivers early in the spring, and is generally found associating with the Yellow Perch. This fish is known in the South- Western States as Salmon, but as unlike that peerless fish of the far North, as a grey wolf is unlike a dcpr. An excellent method of taking pickerel is by spoon-trolling ; the line should be never less than 70 feet; — 100 feet would be better — as the longer the line the better the success, and it has been proved that the bait will be seized three times on the longer one, when on the shorter one it would be but once. From experience we are satisfied that long trolling lines are the best. Bass will seize a fly or a spoon at a few feet distance, but a pickerel will not. Lanman says he has tried the experiment when trolling, to attach to one hook a bait of pork and red flannel, a very common bait, and to the other a brass spoon. The latter was invariably seized first, for the only reason, he supposed, that it made more show in the water. Neither resembled a fish, fly, or any living creature, but curiosity or hunger attracted the fish to t je strange bait gliding through the water, which they seized, paying with their lives the penalty for so doing. The following night adventure is related as having taken place at ANTMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. T Preston Lake, Conn., by C. U. Weld, Ks(j. : " A couple ol' us had vis- ited this Luke for the purpose of takini; pickerel by torcli liijlit, haviiiLj brought our spears and dry pine all tlin way from Norwich in a one horso wagon. It was a cold but still antunmal night, and as wo tied our horse to a tree in an open field, we had every reason to anticipate * a glorious time.' So fur as the lish were concerned we enjoyed line sport, for we caught about a dozen pickerel, varying from one to four pounds in weight; but the miseries we pubsc(|uently endured wen; positively intolerable. We had much dlHiculty in making our Ixtat seaworthy, and in our impatience to reaeli the fishing grounds we mis- placed our brandy-bottle in the tall grass, and were therefore deprived of its warming companionship. About midnight a heavy fog began to rise, which not only prevented us from distinguishing a fish from a log of wood, but caused us frecjuently to become entangled in tlie top of a dry tree, lying on the water. Our next step therefore was to go home, but then came the trouble of finding our ' desired haven.' This we did happen to find for a wonder, and having gathered up our plunder, started on our course over the frosty grass, after our vehicle and horse. W^e found them, but it was in a most melancholy plight indeed. Like a couple of fools, we had omitted to release the horse from the wagon, as we should have done, and the consequence was that he had released himself by breaking the shafts and tearing off the harness, and we dis- covered liim quietly feeding a few paces from the tree where we had tied him. What next to do we could not in our utter despair possibly determine; but after a long consultation, we both concluded to mount the miserable horse, and with our fish in hand we actually started upon our miserable journey home. Our ti.'MA. — Hor.KOSOM A TkmsKM.ATI'M. — ( TvssfUnhd PinOr.) — Colour, olive brown, with Iroiii (ivi! to hcven black spots on tlu! back, along each Hido of the dorsal tin ; another series of spots similar in si/e and shape and colour alon;^ tlie lateral line, i'upils bl u'k, irides brown : length from two to three inches. This singular and beautiful lish is only described by DeKay. It is usually seen at tho bottom of clear springs or streams, lying for a while perfectly still near the bottom, and then darting otV with great velocity after its prey. This habit has ae<|uired for it the name of Darter. It is to be met with in many (»f our brooks and streams, though frefjuently escaping observation, from lying so near the bottom. CIIAP'I'KK III. llorK-HASN — IlLACK H ASS— HKSCIUl'TIt iN — IJ AS8-KISII I Nt, IN I.AKF. i;Ko|{(ii;— IJoVlSII llKf'<>I.I,K("T|i>NS n|' TIIK IliVf.ll HAISIN-— Si:.\. FISU. Genus CKMiiAiiciirs. — Cr.NTHAiu'ins .Knkus. — {H of the opcrcule. The sidis below the lateral lino, an! marked with six or more lonj^itudinal series ol'dark spots, K'vinjj; the .sides somewhat of a striped appearance. I'upilsdark purple, with a narrt»w L'olden rin<; ; the remainder ol'the e^e Mue and reddish ; scales larj^e. It oecurs abundantly in the (Ireat Lakes, and in the St. Lawrenee, and almost all Canadian rivers. It is an excel- lent lish, and readily takes the hook, j:ivinj; from its vij^'orous strujii^les •jreat .sport to the angler. It bites greedily at the worm, live miimow, and especially the crayfish ; it rises al.s(( to the fly; in the dusk of the eveninjj; durin<^ the summer months, a white moth never fails to attract it, when all other baits are unsuccessful. Its favorite haunt.s arc amonj^ large stones, around wharves and piles of old bridges, and in luill races. The weight of it ranges from one to one and a h.ilf pounds, Centrarciius fasciatus. — (7' he lilach Fresh Water 7kss,)oras it is more commonly called, Black Bass, is a genuine native American, and ranks high among the game fish of the country. When fully grown he is commonly about fifteen inches long, two inches in thick- ness, and some tive inclies broad, weighing from one to five or six pounds. Ho has a thick oval head, a .swallow tail, sharp teeth, and small compact scales. In colour he is a dark greenish blaek along the back and sides, iirowinu; li<:hter and somewhat vcHowi.sh towards thu b(^lly. He lias a large mouth and is a bold biter, — feeds upon Mfinnows and insects; is .strong and active, and when in .season pos.sesses a fine flavor. He spawns in the Spring, recovers in July, and is in his ])rimo in September. This tish differs much in ditt'crent localities, not only in colour but in form ; and according to Dr. Kirtland, the same individual will change its hue repeatedly in a short space of 20 ANIMALS ' ; and the very name of the iish is associated Avitii much of the most beautiful scenery in the land. Lake Gcortze, in New York State, is famous for these fish, and a slight description of it will not be out of place here. Embosomed as it is among the wildest mountains, and rivalling, as do its waters, the blue of heaven, it is indeed all that could be desired, and in every particular worthy of its fame. Although this lake is distinguished for the number and variety of its Trout, yet the Black Bass Ibund here afford the angler the greatest amount of sport. They are taken dur- ing the summer, and by almost as great a variety of methods, as there are anglers; trolling with a minnow however, and fishing with a gaudy fly from the numerous islands in the lake, are un(iuestionably ihe two most successful methods. As before intimated the bass is a very active fish, and excepting the salmon, we know of none that per- forms, when hooked, such desperate leaps out of the water. They commonly frequent the immediate vicinity of the shores, especially those that are rocky, and are seldom taken when the water is twenty feet deep. They commonly lie close to the bottom, rise to the minnow or fly quite as quickly as the trout, and are not so easily frigbtened by the human shadow. The following interesting account is given by Lanman of his own experience in bass-fishing there : '* The idea having occurred to us of spearing a few fish by torch-light, we secured the ser- vices of an experienced fisherman, and with a boat well supplied with fat ])lne, we launched ourselves on the quiet waters of the lake, about an hour after sundown. Bass were very abundant, and we succeeded in killing some half a dozen of a large size. We found them exceed- ingly tame, and noticed when we approached, that they were invariably alone, occupying the centre of a circular and sandy place among the rocks and stones. We enquired the cause of this, and were told that the bass were casting their spawn, and that the circular places were the beds where the young were protected. On hearing this our conscience was somewhat troubled by what we had been doing, but we resolved to take one more fish and then go home. We now came to a largo bed, around the edge of which we discovered a number of very small fish, and t>ver the centre of the bed, a very large and handsome bass was hovering. We darted our spear and only wounded the poor fish. Our companion then told us, tliat if we would go away for fifteen minutes, and then return to the same spot, we should have another ANIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. 21 chance at the same fish. We did so and the prediction was realized. We threw the spear again, and again failed in killing our game, though we succeeded in nearly cutting the fish in two pieces. ' You will have the creature yet, let us go away again,' said my companion. We did so, and lo! to our utter astonishment, we again saw the fish, all muti- lated and torn, still hovering over its tender offspring. To relieve it of its pain we darted the spear once more, and the ba^ lay in our boat quite dead ; and we returned to our lodgings a decidedly unhappy man." The maternal affection of the bass for its helpless offspring, which it protected even unto death, is in strict keeping with the loveli- ness and holiness of universal nature. In Lake Erie and every river emptying into it, this fish is found in considerable numbers. The following extract from tlie pen of G. Clinton, Esq., of Buffalo, is too good to be omitted : *' When a mere boy we had seated ourselves at the foot of an old sycamore, directly on the margin of the river (Kaisin), and among its serpent-like roots we were fishing for a number of tiny rock bass that we had chanced to discover there. We baited with a worm, and while doing our utmost to capture a two ounce fish, we were suddenly frightened by the ap- pearance of a black bass, which took our hook, and was soon dangling in the top of a neighbouring bush. Our delight at this unexpected exploit was unbounded, and after bothering our friends with an account of it until the night was fiir spent, we retired to bed, and in our dreams caught the same fish over and over again till morning. ■■'• -^ '^' Like the trout the black bass seems to be partial to the more romantic and poetical places in the rivers which they frequent. The rarest sport we used to enjoy was at an old and partly dilapidated mill, which was covered with moss, and at the foot of which were some of the nicest ' deep holes' imaginable. Wherever the timbers of the dam formed a loopliole of retreat, there we were always sure of finding a bass. And we also remember an old mill, in whose shadowy recesses, far down among the foundation timbers, the bass delighted to congre- gate, and where we were wont to spend many of our Saturday after- noons ; but our favorite expeditions were those which occupied entire days, and led us far beyond the hearing of the mill-wheel or the clink of the blacksmith's anvil. At such thnes, the discovery of old sunken logs was all that we cared for, for we knew that the bass delighted to spend the noontide hours in their shadow. And if we chanced to come across a party of fishermen drawing the seine, we t, ore sure to forget h '}•} ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. r. 1 1 our promiso to our parents to return liome before sundown, anil far too often for a good boy, did we remain till the moon had taken her station in the sky. To count the fish thus captured, and hear the strange adventures talked over by those fisherjiien, was indeed a delight- ful species of vagabondizing ; and we usually avoided a severe scolding by returning home ' with the largest bass ever caught in the river,' which we may have purchased from the fishermen.'' In the lied lliver and Saskatchewan and other waters of the far West the Black Bass is found in " numbers numberless ;" and not only in the rivers but in all tlie hikes of the "back country." Gen- erally speaking the Bass as well as all other kinds of fish there, are taken by the Indians with a wooden spear, and more to satisfy hunger than to enjoy sport. The angler who would cast a fly in those waters must expect to spend his nights in an Indian lodge instead of a white- washed cottage, — or to repose upon a bearskin instead of a bed (such as Walton loved) which " smells of lavender," and to hear the howl of the wolf instead of a "milk-maid's song." Genus Pomotis. — Pomotis Vulgaris. — (Common Pond or Sun Fish. — Colour, greenish olive above, with irregular points of red, and broader yellow or reddish brown spots, disposed in very irregular series. Kanges of brighter spots on the bluish opercles, radiating I'rom the mouth. On the posterior prolongation of the opercle is a black spot, terminating in bright scarlet. This beautiful fish derives its popular name of Sunfish, from the glittering colors it displays while basking in the sun. The numerous spots on its body have occasioned it to be called in some parts of the States *' Pumpkin Seed," though what connection tliat vegetable should have with the fish in question appears to us a mystery. In Massa- chusetts it goes by the name of Bream. Jardine says it vies with tropical fishes in beauty of color. It affords great amusement to the angler, being a very bold biter, and generally swallowing the hook in its voracity. Its flesh is white and very palatable either boiled or fried, but it seldom reaches above one pound in weight. Individuals of this species will sometimes take up a position under a large stone, or at the foot of a rock, and act as a kind of police for a certain dis- tance either side of them, darting out on the approach of any intruding fish, with their dorsal tin bristling up and driving it away. It spawns in March and April, and clears a small space of stones and extraneous matter by rubbing its belly backwards and forwards over the spot ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. 23 where the spawn is to be deposited. Its limit extends from Hudson Bay to South Carolina, and perhaps still further South. Po-MOTis Appendix. — (BlacJc-eared Pond or Sun-Fish.) — Body more robust, thick, and chubby than the preceding, scales less varie- gated. Throat and belly pale and whitish. The prolongation of the opercle marked with black only, the scarlet termination met with in the preceding one, being absent in this species. It is found asso- ciating with the common Sunfish, and almost as numerous. ( CIIArTER IV. BULL-HEAD — STICKLE-BACK, ITS BOLDNESS — SIX-SPINED STICKLE- BACK— SIIEEP-IIEAD — -MALASIIEOANAY — CAT-FISH. Family Triolidae. — Genus Cottus. — Cottus Cognatus. — (^Bullluad.) — Head broad, onc-tliird length of body and furnished with strong curved spines, one near each nostril, one over each orbit, and one on the nape of the neck on each side. Gape of the mouth very large, eyes larue and prominent ; body diminishing from the head and coniprossed towards the tail, Colour, dark brown, sides clouded ; length about four inches. FQund in the Great Bear Lake. C. Polaris. — Like the above in shape, but lighter colored with minute dusky spots ; two strong spines before and between the eyes ; about two inches long. Found in streams running into Hudson Bay. C. IIexacornis. — Like the above, but with six club shaped pro- cesses on the head ; length six or seven inches : found in the Copper- mine lliver. Genus Gasterosteus. — Gasterosteus Quadracus. — {Four Splned iStickh'-Jiack.) — Colour olive green, whitish beneath, often marked witli dusky spots or blotches. Body compressed, back arched. Length one to two inches. In front of the dorsal fin are three and occasionally four movable spines, with a small membrane attached to each, all lying in a groove ; the first spine is the longest, the others successively shorter. This species abounds in our waters, and is the object of persecution by every unbreoched urchin, who can procure a crooked pin and a yard or two of thread on a willow twig. It is a bold fish, easily taken with the dip-net, and is easily kept in aquaria, but has the bad character of attacking and destroying other small fishes with its formidable spines, and by snapping at and nibbling off their fins, as we can testily in the case of some gold fish we had in company with two stickle-backs; their pectoral and caudal fins being so severely torn in one niglit, that for some time we thought they would have died. A peculiarity of this genus is that they do not deposit their spawn on the bottom like most other fish, but build a nest of small GASTEROTUS BIACULEATUS. French — Epmorhe. Popular uarac in France — Savctio", and on the shores of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, pou. EiigMsh — Two-spined StlcJdehnck. |e order of Acavthoptcrijgii] of the family of Mailed Cheeks j of the genus GastemateuA. Tins curious little fish, being from two to two and a half inches long, and half an inch I, is found in the rivers and brooks of the (lulf of St. Lawrence, and the species has Jrous kinds in Europe as well as in North America. [he variety now described, and which is caught in great quantities in the small rivers, |s and harachois of Magdalen Islands, where it is used as food for cattle and as jre (400 barrels were caught last year in the bararhois of Basque Harbor, Magdalen Is), has two free spines on the back, of a quarter of an inch long, and a third but er, near the dorsal fin. The ventrals, represented by a single ray, look more like trong spines than like fins. The sides and the body are protected by over twenty- llates, forming a kind of cuirass, so that the SticMehack, besides being very active iu Dvcments, is furnished with oifensive and defensive arms, which causes it to bo feared [by fish larger than it. This fish is said to be a dangerous enemy to the Pike ; it suffers itrelf to be swal- by the latter, then with i^s spines inflicts, either 'u the mouth or inside, wounds grave j;h to cause death. 3ut what makes i'le Stickleback still more remarkable is, that unlike all the other ^ho deposit their ova either on thenniu or gravel, agglutinating them to aquatic plants, lids a regular nest to receive its very numerous eggs ; the male fish being entrusted [that work. Several females lay their eggs in this nest made of little sticks and of grass, cemented together with the mucus that exudes from its skin ; but a single jianregnatesall the eg'^s of one nest, and he has to defend them against the voracity iher fish, and even, it is said, of the fe-nales themselves, till they are hatched. The linee of the male ceases when the young are able to do f.)r themselves and provide for own safety. [The color of the Stickleback varies greatly, being generally dark olive-green above lally intermixing with light groenish and yellowish on the sides. ^a specimens fo"nd in Esquinriaux Point brook, on the north shore of the Gulf oi [(awreuce, T counted D. 2.1. 11 ; P. 10; V 1 ; A. l.S; C. U'. "•W,; The first dorsal is very long ; indeed, it is actually two connecting dorsals, is composed of sixteen very unequal spinous rays, and the second of thirteen ; t/i fin eighteen rays; the ventral two rays preceded of a spine; the anal thirtec.| caudal sixteen. The Bull-head has the property of swelling up its body to an astonish! |i| especially when provoked. Its flesh is good, though not used in Canada. THYNNU8 VULGARIS. French — Thon. English — Tunny, Ahlicore, and Horse Mackerel. Of the order of Acanthoptcryyii ; of the family of Scomhrldoe) of. the genus Th This fine species of the family of Scombridce inhabits the seas of Europe m America. It is found in the Mediterrean Sea; it being well known to the Plii who fished it on a large scale; also in the Black Sea, on the shores of France am Islands, in the Baltic, on the coasts of the United States, Nova Scotia, Newfonn in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It enters Bay des Chaleurs and Ga!*p6 Bay. I have often met it in the BelUnsle, and sometimes large shoals of them off Blancs Sablons Bay. The Tunny often acquires a very large size, and some are recorded of eight nine feot in length, weighing over 500 pounds; but the ordinary size is from feet, and the weight from one to one hundred and fifty pounds. This fish has an elongated form similar to that of the common mackerel robust fins make it one of the best swimmers of our waters ; whilst chasing shoal fish which constitute its ordinary food, it is seen springing out of water to a hoiil or six feet. Color : — Upper surface blackish ; sides silvery ; beneath pale white. Sdi anterior part of the back, in front of the dorsal, and beneath the pectorals, very The flesh of the Tunny is considered delicious food, and is something bet] and meat, being pretty much like veal ; the most delicate part is the stomach, fresh, salted for export or pickled with oil or salt ; so prepared, considerable of it are exported from France and Italy. It is captured in the Mediterranean Spa, and especially on the shores of I'rd Sicily, with large nets called //towazVfs, ui'd others called mndragues^ "early siniil used by our own fishermen in seal-fishing on the coast of Labra r. The^i pji'innijofc iMo/io wWli nofsi in whiflli t.Vio firth is _djiveji— sometimes in cm m one night that for some time wo thought they wouFd H died. A ._acuha„ty of this genus is that tl>oy do not deZit tW spawn on the bottom lite mo,t other fish, but'build a ntn lu I lecting dorsals, of thirteen ; t lie anal thirtecii to an astonishi || Canada. of. the genus TJil leas of Europe J known to the Phi •ea of France aiij Scotia, Newfound met it in the Bay. icorded of eiglitj •y size is from i ommon mackerel ilst chasing shoalj )f water to a heiil lale white. Sciij e pectorals, very! s something bet] 3 the stomach. Bd, considerable I the shores of i4 ffues, nearly sinu'l Labra t. Thejl OPSpJiimos itLjj have their small ANIMALS OK NORTH AMERICA. 25 water weeds and conferva), balanced or fixed between ru.slics or stron" water plants, in which the spawn deposited. The fbllowin<,' f|Uota- tion from an Enj-lish writer is applicable to its Canadian congener in regard to its boldness : " The stickle-back for its size, is one of the boldest fish, and withal very inquisitive too. My brother and myself were once during our holidays amusing ourselves near a pond where wo saw some of these little fellows looking very independent. One of my brothers, who was very fond of out-of-the-way experiments, tied a piece of string to the neck of a small phial, which he had with him, and put it gently into the water, not for a moment thinking what was to happen. Almost immediately, one of the little fellows in his gay livery of green and red, came up in a menacing attitude to the intruder on his domain. Like the frogs in the fable, he at first kept rather aloof, but gathered courage from seeing his enemy motionless. He gradually made advances and before proceeding very near, made a cir- cuit of inquiry round the bottle, and at last, placing himself opposite its mouth, he manfully entered it, as if devoting himself for the benefit of his race. We brought him to land, but the difiiculty was how to extricate him, for feeling, I suppose, some resistance from the narrow- ness of his quarters, he finally stuck out his oifensive weapons, and made it quite impossible to extricate him without breaking the bottle ; — we did so — but he did not survive it ; — he seemed to have died from his pertinacious pressure against the sides of the phial." Gasterosteus Gymnetes. — {The Hix-Spined Stickh-Back.) — Was first discovered by Dr. Dawson of Montreal, and was described by him in the Canadian Naturalist, for October, 1 859. He says : " it makes its appearance in the brooks immediately after the melting of the snow in spring ; it is then plump and active, and the females are laden with spawn, which i^ deposited in the end of March or beginning of April, in a globular nest about the size of a musket ball, constructed of green algae, and placed in a tuft of submerged grass or aquatic weeds. The male remains near the precious deposit and drives away all intruders. I observed," continues the writer, " that microscopic animalcula) had obtained access to the interior of several of the eggs, and evidently oc- casioned annoyance to the embryo. I have reason to believe that sev- eral of the embryos were destroyed in this way, and perhaps the carefully built nest may have for one of its objects, to guard against such attacks. When alarmed it hides under stones or algae, or remains motionless over some part of the bottom resembling its own colour, -" ANIMALS ry capacious, with broad bands of recurved small teeth in both jaws, and in the throat. Palate smooth. The tirst dorsal fin obtusely pointed, higher than it is wide, composed of one bony and six branched rays, (.icneral colour olive brown ; sides of the body towards tail, ashy white, with a few irregu- larly distant round black spots on the upper part of the body All be- neath bluish white. Pupils black, irides varied with blackish and golden tints. Its weight is said sometimes in the Mississippi to reach 30 lbs., butm the Northern waters seldom exceeds two or three pounds. It is held in very little estimation as an article of food. It can be taken with any kind of bait ; and as it is very strong the best of tackle is invariably necessary. Its flesh though not particularly sweet is said to be easily digested, and they are often sought for l)y people with weak stomachs, though it seems to us that it ^vould require a very powerful stomaeli to eat a piece from one of the mammoths of the Western waters. It is sometimes called the Channel Catfish, and is at once distinguishable from the other species by its forked tail, and the irregular round black sp.ots on the body. PiMKLODUs Catus. — [Common Gaf/lsh.) — Color dusky, darker on back and head ; two concealed sphics near the base of each pectoral fin, length from six to ten inches. Sides of the head greenish tint, cupreous on the sides. Abdomen pearl grey. This is one of our most common species. A peculiarity about this fish is that it occasionally is found without any ventral fins. It has a wide range, extending from Canada to Florida. It is sometimes called Ilornpout, Mudpout, and Minister. It spawns in May, and lias the peculiarity of burrowing into the bank and forming a semicircular dam of mud and clay in front of its burrow, with an aperture to swim in and out of. In this burrow the female deposits her spawn, the only part visible outside of the burrow being the barbels, at which time this unfortunate fish falls an easy prey to the spear of the keen-eyed fisherman. What the object of these bar- bels or feelers is in the economy of nature, remains as yet an open ques- 2« ANIMALS OP NoIlTrr AMEnH'A. tion; Imt wo nrt^ IiicHiumI to (Mvor tlio iilcii dl'tlicir l)oiii2Usotl l)y tho li -h when ilscir is ('i)ii(M>;il(>(l in the iinid, lis a kind oralliiroiiicnt to tliu smnll iVv, which iin.iLiininL;' thciii to l»o worms or soni<» spt'cics of food, inaki! towards th»!ni, and so ImII oiisy victims to their liiddeii enemy. l*i\iKr,oi)i;s Kkf.ls, — Is described by Agassiz as peculiar to Luke Superior. , r. BuLLUrt. — (Jiroirii Ciiliisli.) — From nino to twelve inches in len;:;tli, of a uniform dusky brown above, bluish white beneatli, linw black tiiij;(!d with red ; in everything: else very s^imilar to the conunoa Catfish. Not uncommon. P. Atrauii's. — {lUiH'k Citt/Jah.) — Colour deep black al)Ove, ashen i^'rey beneath, length I'our to eii^ht inches ; common in Lake Ontario, and muddy streams running into it. P. CoKNOSUS — (of Richinhoii.) — Uarbels at aniiles of the mouth, not reaching the gills ; pectoral spines strongly serrated ; length about ten inches; ibund in Lake Huron. P. IJoiiEAlitS — (of the same nulJior.') — Pectoral and dorsal fins not serrated. Caudal forked ; length from two to three feet j found in tlic Northernmost parts of the continent. The genus Pimclodus will reward the student's careful examina- tion of every individual that falls under his notice, lor the scientific world is yet in doubt as to the number of species that should compose Pimelodus proper. a. 1 Blic ■• Ht i:^ kno Huci'il int« 1 ^B ciiiivcye Hdw Vor'c, ir Hiiiiary i\ H.'* aii• Htit iiWitr' < Hriie comi * ^Bxri'llent t ■This Ksh r A TOrtTi > M i; s a » m m v m s . tWiii'h. CatoHttime Tmpioprrlif vallnl in Cdnm/a, < arpf. Liy/zV//. - -Commtm Sur/cfr. Kiiiloriir Malatoplrri/yii ahttoniimiiiH ; ut" the I'aiuily (»f i'l/prlniuoi: ; ol" the ^cnu« hie cDiiiiiKm 8uckor is on i»n>()i-tunt i:n»up <»>' ihd ucniis iyjiriiins, hv,\oui America In lore havinj; been lueid into the |!iiited ytale.s. whicli was done by nieai'^ of li\f Hsh of the .speeiea (iiiivcyed about thirty yawA a^o from Fiaticc and pbu mI in sonn- hikes of the State [w Vol';, and in Homo parts of the Ifudson lliver. when- ihcy inert as'd in an ex- iiiiiry lanner. They may perhnps have fonnd thtir way l»y (Miminu- throu^jh the |.> aiiIt// iSmnif iSur/cirs, bcolient food. [Tiiis tish is found in the rivers of Gaspe and Labrador, but generally in small lli'is. It is abundant in the interior lakes of these places, and constitutes one of the cipal articles of food ot the Indians during the winter season. It is perhaps most |i(laDt in St. Augustine uud Pacachoo rivers ; it is easily caught in this last named ■i t -. ntft^ . T '. nv. f**'-.:f'f mjfii- 1.0 %•/ .n*.l»> ^, ■i'" ■ *.■ CHAPTER V. carp family — the carp and its introduction into america — the bream — chub-sucker — sucker — rock-sucker — horned dace — shiner — dace — black minnow — &,c. Family Cyprinid.e. — Gtenus Cyprinus. — Cyprintts Carpio. — (Common Carjy.) — This genus is the least carnivorous of all fishes. There is much doubt as to the existence of the true carp on this continent in a natural state. DeKay says he is not aware that any attempt has been made to introduce the carp into this country previous to 1831, which it will be seen by the following letter from Henry Robinson, Esq., of Newburgh, Orange County, New York, was attended with complete success, and establishes the practicability of introducing foreign fish into our waters. " I brought," says he, " the carp from France in the years 1831 and 1832, some two or three dozen at a time, and generally lost one-third on the passage. I probably put into my ponds six or seven dozen. They soon increased to a surprising degree, and I have now more than suflicient for family use. They spawn twice a year, first in the middle of May, and again in July. During the periods of spawning it is very amusing to watch their hab- its. They come up to the surface, and the females deposit their spawn along the sides of the pond among the grass, where it is impregnated by the males. During this process they keep the sides of the pond in a foam with their gambols, and suffer themselves to be easily caught by the hand. They grow quickly, reaching three or four inches in the first year, but after that time their growth is very slow. They are very shy of the hook. I generally bait with small pieces of bread (of which they are very fond) and at the same time drop a small piece of bread into the water near the hook, when they bite readily. For the last four years I have put from one to two dozen carp every spring into the Hudson river, near my residence. They have increased so much that our fishermen frequently take them in their nets. They are larger than those in my ponds." Prof. Fowler of Montreal supposes them to exist in Canadian Waters ; but whether imported direct or it .'{() ANIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. ;! otherwise is unknown. We do not describe the Carp as not considering it any more indigenous than the gold-fish of our aquaria. Genus Abhamis. — Abramis Smithii. — {Bream or Wind-F'ish.) — General hue silvery mixed with green and blue on top, golden on sides and abdomen. Iridcs yellow, back dark green passing into blue. Pectorals and anal fin dull yellow. Ventrals deep orange ; length nine to ten inches, said by DeKiiy to be found in the St. Lawrence. Genus Labeo. — Labeo Eleoans. — (The Chub Sucker or Small Chub.) — Colour dark bluish above, beneath whitish with pinkish suffu- sions along the abdomen. Head brilliant green passing into yellowish and golden on the opercles. Dorsal and anal fins brown. Pectoral and ventrals faint orange ; caudal rosaceous. Length five to seven inches. Common everywhere. Genus Catastomus. — Catastomus Communis. — (Common Sucker.) — Colour, head dark green above, verging to black. Cheeks bronze and golden. Body above, dark purplish, with pink and metal- lic tints on the sides, frequently of a resplendent golden hue extending over the abdomen ; beneath white. Pectoral, ventral and anal, orange colored. Irides varied with brown and white. Very little attention has been paid to the careful discrimination of species in this genus ; a better defined character of it, and a careful comparison and descrip- tion of the species is still a desideratum. This fish is abundant every- where, delighting in muddy streams or lakes where it lies on the bot- tom ; its flesh however is meagre and tasteless. It is usually taken by the spear at night, but occasionally will take the hook, which is pro- bably sucked in accidentally, and instead of affording lively sport, usually is pulled up almost a dead weight ; it lives a long time out of the water ; its length is from twelve to fourteen inches, and it some- times weighs six or seven pounds. Catastomus Sueuri. — (Rock Sucker.) — Brilliant metallic colours, scales very large, air bladder divided into three portions. This species omitted by DeKay, but alluded to by Richardson as found in the Northern regions is, according to our opinion, the sucker which is taken among the rocks in the shallows of the St. Lawrence near Montreal, in June and July, succeeding the common sucker, from which it dif- fers in having its flesh firmer and being more free from small bones. It sometimes attains nineteen inches in length, and weighs from four to eight pounds. Catastomus Tuberoulatus. — (Horned Sucker, called also ANIMALS OP NORTH AAfERICA. 31 Barbel, Homed Chub, and Horned Dace.) — It has t'rom three to five tubercles on each side the snout. Colour dark olive ureon, back and sidea green with purple and golden reflections. Sides tinged with yel- low. Abdomen yellowish with a faint flesh color. Anal fin dark blackish brown, caudal lighter, remaining fins olivaceous. This fish is common in most fresh water streams, frequenting the deep holes, and being a great annoyance to the angler for trout, as its bite is very bold ; it is readily taken, and being like all the rest of the genus leathery mouthed, seldom loses its hold when once hooked. It is considered by many as well tasted, but we always considered it too small for culinary purposes. The uses of the tubercles are not very apparent ; LeSueur thinks they may be a sexual distinction, but this needs con- firmation. Length six to nine inches. Catastomus Oblongus. — {Large C/n/i.)— Colour, dark brown above, lighter on the sides with a bronzy reflection, cream coloured be- neath ; scales large. Dorsal fin brownish, the other fins lighter and more or less ruddy, tail forked. This is a common fish, and in the Spring is caught in large quantities. It is a favorite amusement with boys to have a cast line of one or two hundred feet with a number of hooks on it, baited with bread, set for this fish, and we have seen num- bers of them taken thus in an afternoon at St. Lambert's opposite to Montreal. The flesh is rather soft, and filled with the fine bones so common to this family, yet it is regarded as a good fish at table. There are various methods of cooking it, but it is generally most highly esteemed when baked. Its usual length is from fifteen to twenty inches, and weight from two to five pounds. But individuals are occasionally taken weighing eight or nine pounds. Catastomus Pallidus.— (Pa?e *SMc/ter.)~Colour, head dark green- ish with metallic reflections on the cheeks. Irides golden. Back light bluish, becoming mixed with yellow and paler on the sides, abdomen white. Dorsal and caudal fins dark brown mixed with yellow, anal has a faint tinge of yellow. Pectorals and ventrals are orange. This is a common species, running up the streams that empty into the Lakes or the St. Lawrence, as soon as the the thaw sets in, in Spring ; the flesh is poor and tasteless. Length nine to ten inches. Catastomus Aureolus. — {Midlet Sucker, Golden Mullet, Red Horse, and Mullet.') — Colour, greenish above, sides lighter with metal- lic reflections ; white beneath. Five dusky longitudinal lines on each side above, with occasionally a red broad line running laterally. ! I 32 ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. iMij, r|5 Pectorals, ventrals and anals tinged with a reddish hue, the other fins bluish brown. Iridcs golden, varied with white. This fish is abun- dant in Lakes Erie and Ontario, and the streams connected with them. Their flesh is firm and they are considered good eating ; in the Spring they are sometimes so numerous that the farmers in the neighbourhood of the streams salt them for summer use. Length eight to twelve inches. Catastomus Nigricans. — {Black Sucker.) — Colour, blackish on the back ; sides and abdomen reddish yellow with dark blotches, white beneath. Pectoral, abdominal and anal fins reddish. This fish is common in Lake Erie, where it goes by the name of" Shoemaker," probably in allusion to its being somewhat the colour of shoemakers' pitch. We have never observed it below the Falls of Niagara. Catastomus Lonoirostrus. — {Long Nosed Sucker.) — Colour above reddish, paler on the sides, abdomen white with a bluish tint, aperture of the mouth arcuated, scales small and roundish, head hor- izontal, terminated in a long snout. Length five to six inches. This fish is not alluded to by DcKay, but is described by LeSueur ; it is very abundant in all the streams of Canada, where it is sometimes called the Brook Sucker. It is a very useful fish in an aquarium, act- ing as scavenger, and clearing up the refuse of other fish. A curious feature about it is, that it is very fond of drawing in by suction a small portion of fine clean sand from the bottom, and transporting it to another part of the aquarium, where it blows it out returning again for more. Wc were much amused once while watching this pro- cess, by a boy asking " if that was the way those fish cleaned their teeth ?" Genus Stilbe.— Stilbe Chrysoleucas. — {Common Shiner.) — Colour : back, dorsal and caudal fins, greenish. Head, dark brown ; iridcs pale yellowish, beneath the orbits pearly. Pectorals and ventrals with orange tint. Sides of a brilliant lustrous white, which has sug- gested the popular name ; common in all fresh water streams. This fish also is a great addition to an aquarium. Length one to two inches. Genus Leuciscus.— Leuciscus Atronasus.— (£focA; Nosed Dace.) — Sometimes called Striped or Brook Minnow. Body above greenish, summit of head blackish brown j a broad dark brown or blackish band passes from the nose, including thelowerhalf of theeyes, and proceeds in a straight line to the tail ; bordering this above is a light yellow line, which however commences only from the gill covers ; this is occa- ANIMALS OF NORTH A:MERICA. 3:j sionally inconspicuous. Abdomen silvery, with a few brownish and metallic blotches, rectornls oranpc, dorsal and caudal dark brown : one to three inches in length. This is an active lively tish i'ound abun- dantly in clear fresh water streams and rivulets, and is an excellent bait for fish of prey. Leuciscus Cornutus. — [Ralfm or Iioug]ihcad.)—Qo\ovir, above blackish brown with metallic reflections ; opercles brassy, sometimes a deep bronze. Dorsal and caudal dark brown. Ventrals and pectorals light coloured. All the fins margined with a deep crimson. Exceed- ingly lively and active in its movements. Numerous tubercles on the head giving it the appearance of being covered with mhiute prickles ; it is usually found in clear limpid streams, or in the " pot holes" of rapid rivers, associated with brook trout. Its flesh is sweet but soft ; Length from three to ten inches. Leuciscus Pulchellus. — {Roach Dace.) — Brown on the back; sides and abdomen flesh colored with metalllic reflections. Head bluish above ; gill covers silvery with metallic tints ; Dorsal brown with red- dish tinge ; pectorals brownish above, lighter beneath. Ventrals and anal light coloured. Length about 14 inches ; not very common ; found in St. Lawrence and tributaries and in the Ottawa, where the water is shallow and rapid. Takes the hook readily, but is poor eating. Will rise well to the fly. Leuciscus Nitidus. — (SJiining Dace.) — Body silvery white ; pec- torals tinged with light yellow, and bright greenish stripe above the lateral line ; head small. Length one to twelve inches. The young of this fish are abundant in the small streams, and are known under the name of White Minnow. If we are not mistaken it is the young or small fry of this fish which abounds in winter round the wharves on Lake Ontario, wherever there is an opening between the wharf and the ice, and where they can be taken in large quantities with a scoop net. When fried dry in fat, they are very similar to " whitebait," that well known Aldermanic dainty of England, and are not unlike them in taste. We have used them repeatedly, and found them excellent ; they require no cleaning except to be well rubbed in a dry cloth, when all their minute scales come off. As we cannot find any other fish answer- ing the description of these small fry, we conclude they must be the young of this species. Leuciscus AtroMxVCULa'^tts.— (-BZac/*; Headed Dace.)— Body above dark olive green, with a broad darker longitudinal band, extending from 'M ANIMALS OF NORTU AMERICA. gill covers to the tail. Sides of a golden yellow. Beneath a silvery white. Head deep brownish black. Gill covers cupreous with metal- lic reflections. Eyes black surrounded by a golden ring. Dorsal fin with a dark spot at the anterior portion of its base. Pectorals, ven- trals and anal with a light orange tint. Common, and varies in size ; not unlike a large black nosed minnow, but more golden in color and larger. Length from six to twc^'e inches. Sometimes called Lake Dace. Genus Hydrargira. — Hydr. Fuse its. — (Mud Fish or Black Minnow.) — Colour above dark olive mottled with blackish ; sides mottled or variegated with brown, green a'vl golden, with faint indications of yellowish bars ; belly dull brownish, bronzy yellow ; fins dusky yellow ; sides yellowish at the base of the tail, crossed by a vertical black bar. Form thick and plump ; upper jaw shorter than the lower. Tail fully rounded. Dorsal fin twice as long as high, greatest length five inches. Abundant in Lower Canada ; being very tenacious of life they constitute a capital bait. Thomson in his History of Vermont, says : '' During droughts, as the water sub- sides and recedes from the coves, they have the power by a springing motion of transporting themselves from one little puddle to another. They have the power of partially burying themselves, and living in the mud (hence their name) and amongst the moist grass roots, after the other small fishes associated with them arc dead for want of water. In these situations numbers of them arc devoured by birds, muskrats and foxes. In one small cove of Lake Champlain, which I visited on the 24th September, I found mud fishes dead in piles, in the low places which had become dry. One small portion of the cove still covered with water and leaves to the depth of four or five inches, was literally filled with fishes, struggling together for existence. This portion amounted to about one square rod, and in this space there could not have been much less than a barrel of fishes, consisting of yellow perch, shiners, catfish and mudfish, — mostly of the two last. My feelings were really pained at the sight, and moved by compassion for the poor fishes I heartily wished for rain, which on the next day came in abun- dance, to the joy not only of the fish and their sympathizers, but of the whole country." This fish has a peculiar habit of balancing itself in mid-water, while its pectoral fins are in perpetual motion ; it will at times dart violently to the surface and down again instantaneously, and can remain a long time without going to the surface to respire. FUNDULUS VIRIDESCENH. iFrencb ^Fundule. Popular name on the Gulf shores — Barhmu, Chnqifmort. |.^,),,li(^h— J?'V/ Kith'/ish, Minnoic, Miinu/. \( wiier i>\' Malacopfe)'f/fju ahihmhiohii ; of the family of (.^//prinufa- , of the pmnw \FHii(h(his. The Minnow is a very pretty little fish, a quick swininiev, and is found in abundance Canadian shores of the Gulf, and probably also in the other British Provinces, it bait water creeks and brackish streams, which it seems to prcfor to fresh water. Ai- Ini: to Valenciennes the Minnow is peculiar to America, and is besides viviparous ; it ifot be confounded with the European Lenrm'iis2)ho.j-im(s of Cuviev. It is caught in I quantities with nets or scoop-nets at Port Daniel, at ihabanichoisoi' Malbay (eu has), [any other places on the shores of Gaspe. and also in the Magdalci Islands barachoti Ireeks where it is very useful as a bait for cod, when other bait fails. The specimens [last year from Amherst Island were from three and a quarter to four inches long, to I quarters of an ineh thick, and of the following description :— Jody elongated, cylindrical, flattened above and compressed on the sides ot the tail. large —(it is the opposite of the European Minnow, whoso body is covered with scales, according to Yarrell), larger on the head than on the other parts of the and extending to the end of the snout. Jjateral lines very obscure. Head sniall, ttcd above. Eyes large, distant; pupil black. Nostrils form an oblong slit just |or to the orbits. Mouth small but very protractile, with a somewhat vertical aspect, is something similar to a lip on the upper part of the mouth. Fine teeth on the ' and lower j?w. the dorsal fin placed far back, over the anal, quadrate, and composed of eleven rays, rounded, and containing from seventeen to eighteen ri'ys. Vcntrals, six rays. ieleveu rays. Caudal fin, twenty-nine rays, broad and short. Color : — Olive green above, mottled, and lighter in color on the sides, silvery white the belly, tinged with yellow on the abdomen. Opcrcles, pectorals and vcntrals greenish yellow. Irides yellow. 34 ANIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. gill covers to the tail. Sides of a golden yellow. Beneath a silvery white. Head deep brownish black. Gill covers cupreous with metal- lic reflections. Eyes black surrounded by a golden ring. Dorsal fin with a dark iipot at the ant^UAr nortinn nf Um bnsp Ppp.forflln vpn- trals 1'be Ausler inhabits the seas of Europe and North America. It is also fouu not IT* f' ^^^ '* seldom caught with the hook or net, and the specimens found are th lartre^ ^ thrown on the coast when they come too near the shore looking for food o unt of the smallness of its gills, this fish can live long out of water. L»ace The curious fish exhibited at Quebec three years ago, the nameofwhici T-' ^ u ^^'^^ '^''^ ^®®° caught at Ause des Dunes, on the coast of Labrai Mimthing but an Angler. Another fish of the same species was also found two v, sides ^^"« Point, near Mingan. faint ^^^ ordinary size of the Angler is from three to four and a half feet. yellc tail, jaw lon^ CTEN0LABRU8 CERULEU8, CRENILABRU* BWRGALL. French. — Le Ctenolahre chogset. beiip.u^''^^*'*^^^''*"*'"* 5«r(7a//. Blue-fi^h. Blue perch. Gunner. , . the order of Amntlmpteryg'd ; of the family of Labridoe; of the genus ctenohh in I fTT. ? ■ ■ f ^ • ,, ^ side ~ ~ ~~ " molfrcqucnting the interior of Labrador, this fish is found in the upper part of sev Tjj.falling into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and in the lakes of that part of the count Its color varies — in some it is deep green, varying to blackish on the back or bluish grey; in others it is of a golden yellow, especially during spawning. tin ®''*** It is fished with nets in the lakes and rivers, and also with lines having li theificial baits. The apparatus called kill devil is especially much used. fox< Rod-fishing for Pike is most exciting. It is one of the favorite amusements 24tpiany of the sportsmen of the interior of Canada, though very far from equal to , .trout fly-fishing, but this last enjoyment is not within the reach of every one. witi fiUe< amo Esox estor. shiners, catfish and mudfish, — mostly of the two last. My feelings were really pained at the sight, and moved by compassion for the poor fishes I heartily wished for rain, which on ..ne next day came in abun- dance, to the joy not only of the fish and their sympathizers, but of the whole country." This fish has a peculiar habit of balancing itself in mid-water, while its pectoral fins are in perpetual motion ; it will at times dart violently to the surface and down again instantaneously, and cau remain a long time without going to the surface to respire. -wg: it is also foun (MIS found ar« th loking for food, ter. e Dume of whicl coast of Labrai also found two y balf fe«t. ALL. ner. e genus ctenohd pper part of sev lart of' the count ish on the back ing spawning. tin 1 lines having li ised. rite amusementijl ir from equal to s of every one. •^S^^^^^^^!^- ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERIO.V. 85 lIVDRAlKilllA 3Il'LTlKA.SCIATA.— ( liimrd J/mMOM?.)— Numoioiis transverse bands on the sides, alternately olive brown and bluish ; body more elongated in the middle than the preceding; snout shorter; length three inches ; abundant in the St. Lawrence, where in August and September they may be seen in thousands round the edge of the wharves, which stretch far out into the river, where the water is rapid. They are an excellent bait especially for black bass. CHAPTER VI. TJIK IMKE — DESCRIPTION, HADITS AND HAUNTS — VARIETY — PECU- LIARITIES—TACKLE FOR TROLLING — FISHING ANECDOTES. Gents Esox. — Esox Reticulatus, or LEUcroiDEs of Apjassiz. {Common Pike.,) — The colour vfirios in dillcn'ont iiulividujils ; his body is oloni!;atod and nearly of a uniform depth from the head to the tail ; the head is elongated, somewhat resembling the beak of a duck ; his mouth is very large and abundantly supplied witii .sharp teeth, and his scales are small and particularly adhesive ; the colour of his back is a dark brown, sides a mottled green or yellow, belly silvery white. Nu- merous irregular longitudinal dusky streaks on the sides of the body, united with similar oblique streaks, and producing an imperfectly reti- gulated appearance. It is a common fish in all the temperate, and some of the Northern regions of the world ; but in no country does he arrive at greater perfection, than in this continent. In England he is known under the name of Pike, Pickerel, Jack and Luce. The reputation of this fish for amiability is far from being enviable, for he is called not only the " shark of the fresh waters," but also " the tyrant of the liquid plain." lie is a cuiming and savage creature, and fishermen are sel- dom troubled with conscientious scruples when they take him captive. Pliny and Sir Francis Bacon both considered this to be the longest lived of any fish, and Gesner mentions a pike which was ascertained to be two hundred years old. Of these ancient fellows, Walton remarks that *' they have more in them of state than goodness, the middle sized individuals being considered the best eating." The prominent pecu- liarity of this fish is Ms voracity. lie swallows every animal he can subdue, and is so much of a cannibal that he will devour his own kind full as soon as a common minnow. Wilson records having killed a pike, weighing seven pounds, in whose stomach was found another pike weighing over a pound, and in the mouth of the youthful fish was yet discovered a respectable perch. The pike of this country does not differ essentially from the pike of Europe. His food usually consists of fish and frogs, though he is far ANIMALS OK NORTH AMERICA. :n from being pjirticular in this inalti-r. lln lows a still sluuly wat.T, in river or pond, and usually lies in the vicinity of flaj^'s, hnlrushcs and water lilies, thoulit months in the year. In speakint; of the size of this lish the anglers of Europe have recorded somo marvellous Htorios. In this country they vary from two to four feet in length, and in weight from two to forty pounds; when weij:;hin''' less than two pounds ho iscallida jack. As an article of food he is held by some in hit;li repute ; the best way of cooking him being to bake him with a stuifmg of sweet herbs, taking care that he is well basted during the operation ; but since we onco found a water snake in the stomach of a monster lish, we rather object to him on the table ; as an object of sport we esteem him highly, and can never mention his name without a thrill of pleasure. The long and slender form of the pike, tapering towards the head and tail, enables liiui to move with great rapidity through the water, while his smooth and finless back facilitates his movements through the weeds or marine plants. Thus has nature provided this lish with a form adapted to its habits, and with large and well armed jaws, to give it a pre-eminence among the finny tribes, which inhabit the same waters. It is well known how prolific fishes are, and unless some way was pro- vided to lessen their number, our inland waters could not contain the vast numbers which a few years would produce. Most fish live on each other, others on decomposing substances floating about. But it is not always the largest that prey on each other, for the sturgeon is one of the largest fresh-water fish, and he subsists on decomposing matter. A few pike placed in a lake would very effectively prevent an over popu- lation. It is interesting to notice the habits of the pike, which an angler may easily do in still clear water. They have been characterized as a solitary, melancholy, bold fish. Never are they found in schools, or even in pairs, as most other fish arc, nor are they often to be seen in open water, where other fish would discover them, and avoid their grasp. When they are in open water, they lie very near the bottom, quite motionless, appearing like a sunken stick. Their favorite place of resort, however, as we said before, is among the tall weeds where they cannot be seen ; here they lie as it were in ambush, waiting the ;js ANIMALS (IK NORTH AMERICA. f' * approach of some unsuspecting fish, when they dart forth with a swift- ness which none of the fiuny tribe can attain, seize their harmless victim, and slowly bear it away to some secluded spot. Here they crush their prey with their huge jaws, and leisurely force it into their capacious stomachs. Often when fishing for pike with a live minnow, from a wharf so far raised above the water that we could see every object ten feet on either side, a pike has so suddenly darted from a cluster of weeds, beyond the range of our vision, that the first intima- tion we had of his presence was that he had seized our bait. " On one occasion," says Lanman, " when fishing in the St. Law- rence, where pike arc very abundant, I put a minnow on my hook, and threw my line towards a mass of weeds, in the hope of tempting a perch to take it. Not many minutes had elapsed, before my silvery miimow had tempted the appetite of one, which soon conveyed him to his maw. Knowing my game was sure, I let him play about, first allowing him to run to the extent of my line, and then drawing him towards me, when on a sudden a pike shot from his hiding place and seized my perch. I was obliged to let him have his own way, and give him all the time he wanted to swallow the perch, when with a good deal of difl&culty I succeeded in disabling him, and towed him in triumph to the shore. The perch weighed a pound and a half; the pike ten pounds." There are two peculiar habits connected with this fish, mentioned by Blaine, which must not be passed over, as the;y probably are not known to many of our readers. The first is that the pike is as distin- guished for his abstinence as his voracity. During the summer months his digestive organs seem to be somewhat torpid, and this is the time that he is out of season. During this period he is particularly listless in his movements, spending nearly all the sunny hours basking near the surface of the water ; and as this is the period when the smaller fry are usually commencing their active existence, we cannot but distin- guish in this nrrangement of nature the wisdom of Providence : this is a remarkable peculiarity in pike economy, seeing it must be in inverse ratio to the wants of the fish, for they must be at this time in a state of emaciation from the efiects of spawning. It is not a little remark- able too that small fish appear to be aware when this abstinent fit is upon him ; for they then swim around him with total unconcern. At these periods, no baits, however tempting, can allure him ; on the con- trary he retreats from everything of the kind. Windy weather is ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. 39 alone capable of exciting his dormant powers. This inaptitude to receive food with their usual keenness continues from the time they spawn until the time of their recovery from the effects of it. This list- lessness, however, does not apply to the pike of the Lakes, whose waters are not so sensibly affected by the heat of summer as shallow water ; it is in the smaller streams where this listlessness is exhibited, and whenever he can reach the deep water he does so. The other habit peculiar to this fish is as follows : during the autumn he spends the day-time in deep water, and the night in the shallowest v/ater he can find along the shores of river or lake. They frequently come so near the land as to display their fins. What their object can be in thus spending the dark hours, it is hard to determine ; perhaps it is to enjoy the warm temperature of the shallow water, or for the purpose of watching for and capturing small land animals that may come to the water to satisfy their thirst. It is alleged by some that they seek the shore for the purpose of spawning, but it is an established fact that they cast their spawn in the spring ; and besides, the months during which they seek the shore as above stated, are the very ones in which they are in the best condition, and afford the angler the finest sport. Autumn is the time too when they are more frequently and more easily taken with the spear than during any other season. Pike are found in all the lakes and inland waters of the Northern and Middle States of this continent. In the great Lakes they grow to an enormous size. In colder climates they attain the largest size, and are said by Walkenburg to disappear in geographical distribution with the fir-tree. In our waters they are taken of all sizes, from four or five pounds weight, to forty. They are rarely found on rocky bot- toms or bars. A high wind and rough sea often drives them from their weedy haunts into deeper water. This is particularly the case on Lake Ontario. From wharves where bass are only taken on ordi- nary occasions, pike will bite with avidity when a severe gale is blowing, and the water is in a disturbed state. This fish, according to Donovan, attains a larger size in a shorter time than most others. In the course of the first year it grows eight or ten inches ; the second twelve or fourteen ; the third eighteen or twenty. Mr. Jesse in his Gleanings of Natural History, relates cer- tain experiments by which to show that the growth of pike is about four pouiids a year, which corresponds with the result above stated. And now a word or two about the tackle to be used in pike-fishing. 40 ANIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. ,1 The immense book description usually to be met with respecting its character and quality, has always seemed to us an intelligent species of nonsense, a kind of literature originally invented by the tackle man- ufacturers. The best and simplest equipment for the purpose is a heavy rod and reel, a stout linen line, a brass or gimp snell, a sharp hook or hooks, and a landing net or gaif-hook. For bait we prefer a live minnow, though a small shiner, or a small yellow perch with the spines cut off, is usually as sure to attract notice. Pike can be taken with a gaudy fly, and also with an artificial minnow, but you cannot depend upon these allurements. Sinkers are seldom used except on the edge of rapids, and the Cockney arrangement called a float, we utterly abominate. The best way of fishing is from an anchored boat ; it is the most qaiet and contemplative method, and unquestionably one of the most successful ones ; for though the pike is not easily fright- ened, it takes but a single splash of the oar when trolling, to set him thinking, which is quite as unfortunate for the angler's success as if he was actually alarmed. Another advantage is that while swinging to at an anchor you may fish at the bottom if you please, or try the stationary trolling fashion, /. e. an expert angler can throw his hook in any direction from his boat, to the distance of at least a hundred feet, and in pulling it in, he secures all the advantages that result from the common mode of trolling. The pike is a fish that calls forth a great deal of patience, and must be humoured ; for he will sometimes scorn the handsomest bait, appaiently out of mere spite, but the surest time to take him is when there is *' a southerly wind and a cloudy sky." Live fish is the best bait as we before remarked, though the leg of a frog is good, and in winter a piece of pork or anything that shines. The new spoons painted red inside are also very good in rapid water, but they cannot be relied on. As to torchlight fishing for pike, though unquestionably out of the pale of the regular angler's sporting, it is attended with much that we must deem poetical and interesting. Who can doubt this when we consider the ett'ect of a boat and lighted torch of pine knots in its bow, gliding along the wild shores of a lake, on a still, dark night, with one figure noiselessly plying an oar, and the animated attitude of another relieved against the firelight, and peering into the dark waters, forming a contrast of light and shade that Rembrandt might have envied. In some of the Northern States and Canada generally, fishing for pike with set lines through the ice, is practised to a great extent. The ANIMALS OK NORTH A.MEUICA. 41 lines are irenerally attached to a iiguro four oK wood, by which the fisherman is informed he has a bite, and if he has many lines out and the fish are in a biting humour, this mode of fishing is really very exciting. Especially so if the ice is smooth, and the fisherman can attend to his hooks with a pair of sharp skates attached to hisfoet. Another mode for catching fish in winter, and practised greatly by the Indians is as follows : You cut a large hole in the ice over which you erect a tent or small portable house, and after taking a seat therein, you let down a bait for the purpose of alluring the fish, and as they follow the hook even to your feet, you pick them out with a sharp spear. The largest pike are said to be taken in the Upper Mississippi and in the St. Joseph and Raisin rivers of jMichigan. They arc found however in almost all the streams emptying into the Lakes. They are very abundant in the Upper St. Lawrence and in Lake Champlain. " The most successful pike-fishing," says Lanman, '' we ever enjoyed, was at Crow Wing on the Upper Mississippi. We were spending a few days Avith an isolated Indian trader of the wilderness, around whose cabin were encamped about three hundred Chippewa Indians. Seldom was it that we allowed a night to pass away without trying our luck with the spear, and as a dozen canoes were often engaged in the same sport, the bosom of the river presented a most romantic and beau- tiful appearance. Each canoe usually contained two or three indi- viduals, and our torches which were made of dried birch bark, threw such a flood of light upon the transparent Avatcr, that we could see every object in the bed of the river with the utmost distinctnes.'. Beautiful indeed were those fishing scenes, and when the canoes had floated down the river for a mile or two, the homeward-bound races that followed between the shouting Indians, were exciting in tlie ex- treme. And what added to our enjoyment of this sporting was tlie idea that to grasp the hand of a Avliite man (besides that of our liost) we should have to travel one hundred miles through a pathless wilder- ness. We seldom took any note of time, and sometimes were throwing the spear even when the day was breaking. The largest fish that we saw taken at Crow Wing weighed upwards of forty pounds, and we have known five spearmen to take seventy pike in a single night." But we must curtail our Pike stories and close our accounts of this bold biting fish with a few remarks from the pen of J. 11. Bartlett, Esq. The pike bears the same relation to the finny tribes that the hyena and jackal do to animals, the vulture to birds, or the spider 42 ANIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. I I M to insects— one of the most voracious of fishes. He feeds alike on the living or the dead ; and even those of his own brethren, which are protected by nature against the attacks of other fish, find no pro- tection against him. It is remarkable in the economy of animals, that while nature provides her weaker and smaller creatures with the means against the stronger ones, she has at the same time furnished some of the latter with weapons, apparently for the very purpose of overcoming the feeble, however well they may be guarded. Thus the pike with its immense jaws, armed with innumerable teeth, is able to seize and crush every kind of fish. Its own kind do not escape, for instances are frequent where a pike of three or four pounds is found in the stomach of one of twelve or fifteen pounds weight. n -J CHAPTER VII. THE MASKALONGfi — HABITS AND HAUNTS — EXCITING SPORT IN CATCHING THEM — SPEARING ADVENTURE. Esox ESTOR. — {The Maskalonge or M((sJdnonge.) — Deep greenish brown, darker on the back, pale on the sides, with numerous rounded distinct pale yellowish or grayish spots on the sides, varying in size from two to three-tenths of an inch in diameter. Ejich scale has a bright quadrate spot which reflects brilliant mettdlic tints of various colours. Length from one to six feet. The habits and haunts of this lish are tiie same as those of the pike, and they attain a larger size than any fish of our inland waters. We have seen them carried by two men, with a pole running through their gills, and supported on the shoulders of the men. In this posi- tion the tail of the fish dragged upon the ground. Forty or fifty pounds is not an unusual weight for them, and instances are not want- ing when much larger ones have been caught. They are generally taken in seines, seldom with a hook. Their size is so large that the ordinary baits of anglers would be no temptation to them. Tn the several opportunities we have had to examine the stomachs of these fish, we have invariably found in them fish of large size, such as no angler would ever think of putting on his line. " The largest perch," says Weld, " that I ever saw, about fifteen inches in length, was taken from the paunch of a maskalonge, and I have often seen catfish, perch, and other fish weighing from one to two pounds taken from them ; but in no instance small fish ; and hence anglers have not taken them, as few could fish with bait of that size, where there are no fish but these, which would take it." "The most exciting sport," says Lanman, " I ever had on the St. Lawrence or any where else, was capturing a maskalonge. It was a regular battle, such only as salmon anglers enjoy when they hook a twenty pounder. A friend and myself took a small skiff", with one trolling line, intending to take turns at the oars, and proceeded at once to a favorite spot among the Thousand Islands. I held the u A.M.MALS OF NOKTII A.MEUIOA. I trolling line with u spoon attachctl, while my comptinion pulled the oars. AVe .sailed among the secluded places, wherever weeds were seen below the surface of the water, and were rewarded with good sport by taking sev(>ral fine pike, weighing from six to fifteen pounds, which we managed to secure with ease, save the largest, which gave us some trouble. Wo then thought we would try deeper water, in the hope of tempting larger fish. A few windings among the clusters of small islands brought us to the channel of the river, when I directed my companion to increase the speed of the skiff, determined that the curiosity of no fish should be satisfied, without first tasting my gilded spoon. We pulled for half a mile, when the river wound suddenly round an island, which presented a bold shore, from the rushing of the river's current. The tall forest trees extended to the very brink of the river, over Avhich they hung, throwing a deep shadow on the waters. This quiet spot looked as though it ii\ight be an attractive one for some solitary fish, and we accordingly took a sweep around the island. Scarcely had we entered the deep shade spoken of, Avhen I felt a txig at my line, which was so strong tliat I supposed my hook had come in contact with a floating log or fallen tree. My companion backed water with his oars to relieve my hook, when another violent pull at my line convinced me that it was no log, but some living creature of great weight. My line was already out its full 150 feet ; no alternative was therefore left but to give my fish more line by rowing- after liim. This we did for a few minutes, when I began to pull in the slack of my line, some fifty feet or more, when I felt my fish. The check was no sooner felt l)y liim than he started forward with a velocity scarcely conceivable in the water, bringing my line taut, and the next moment our skiff was moving off stern foremost tOAvards the river's channel. We soon perceiA'^ed that our fish had turned his head up stream, and as the water Avas deep there AA'as no danger of his coming in contact Avith Aveeds or protruding rocks. We therefore alloAved him to tow us for about five minutes, Avhen he stopped. Then quickly backing water Avith our oars, and taking in our line, aa'c care- fully laid it over the skiff's side, till aa'O liad approached within twenty feet of our fish. J. tlien gave him another check, Avhich probably turned his head, for he again darted off in a contrary direction doAvn stream. We pulled our skifi" in the same direction as fast as possible to give the fish a good run before chocking him again, but he soon had the line out its full length, and was again towing our skiff after ANIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. 45 him with more rapidity tlian before. This did not hast lonj^. however, for I then took the Hue and hauled towards him to lessen the distance. He made another slap, when I managed to keep my lino taut, and with our oars moved towards him. Our victim now lay on the sur- face of the water, with Ins belly upward, apparently exhausted, when we found him to be a maskalonge between 5 and S feet in leiif^th. We had no sooner got him alongside tlian he gave a slap with his tail, and again darted off the whole length of the line, taking us once more in tow. His run was now short, and it was evident he was getting tired of the business. Am'm the line slacked, and we drew tlic skiff up to the spot where x xay turned on his back. " He seemed so far gone that I thought we might draw 1dm into our skiff, so I reached out my gaff and hooked him under the jaw, while my companion passed his oar under him. In this w;iy we con- trived to raise him over the gunwale of the skiff, when he slid to its bottom. I then placed my foot at the back of his head to hold him down , in order to disengage my hook, which passed through his upper jaw. No sooner had I attempted this than he began to flap about, compel- ling us to give him room to avoid his hnmense jaws. Every moment seemed to increase his strength, when my companion seized an oar in order to despatch him, while I took out my knife for the same pur- pose. The first blow with the oar had only the effect to awaken our fish, which, taking another and more powerful somerset, threw himself over the gunwale of our skiff, which was but a few inches above the water, and with a plunge disappeared in the deep waters at our side. We had scarcely recovered from our surprise, when I found my line drawn out again to its full length, save a few tangles and twists wliieli had got into it in the struggle between us and our fish. We deter- mined to trifle no longer with the fellow, with our small skiff, but to make for the shore and land him. A small island a short distance from us, seemed to present a convenient place, and here without further cere- mony we pulled, towing our fish after us. I lept into the water about ten feet from the shore, and tugged away at my victim, who floated like a log upon the water, while my companion stood by with an oar to make the capture more sure this time. In this way we landed him in safety just one hour and a quarter after he was first hooked. This maskalonge weighed 49 lbs., and had within him a pike of tliree pounds weight, a chub partially decomposed of four pounds, and a perch of one and a half pounds, which appeared to have been recently 46 ANIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. swallowed : yot this fish's appetite was not satisfied, and he lost his lite in grasping at a glittering bauble. Any person who has ever killed a pike of ton pounds weight, can readily imagine the strengtli of one five times its weight." The groat strength of these fish was shown in a sporting adventure that happened to a gentleman spearing by torchlight. He had never before tried liis hand with the ^near, although he was a skillful angler. On this occasion he had killed several fish, which he secured without trouble. lie was then in about six or eight feet of water when he discovered a large fish, either a very large pike or a maskelonge. He planted himself with one foot below the flaming torch, the other a little behind, when he plunged his spear into the huge fish that lay so quietly before him ; but '^.diether he was deceived with the depth of the water, or whether he had not braced himself in the boat is not known ; at any rate he struck the fish, which darted oif like light- ning, taking the spear with him, as well as him who threw it. For the gentlemin being probably deceived by the depth of the water, had reached forward too far, and thereby lost his balance. So over he went head foremost, holding on to the spear. But he was satisfied without following the fish further, which escaped with the long spear, neither of which could be again seen. The gentleman now made the best of his way back to the skiflP. Two days after a huge maskinonge floated ashore several miles below the spot where the event took place, with the spear still clinging to him just before the dorsal fin. (CHAPTER VIII. THE SALMON — ITS HABITS — ITS LEAPS — PERIODICAL .lOlRNKYS — HAUNTS — DESCRIPTION OF ITS SPAWNING — SALMON lUN KUS. Genus Salmonida:.— Salmo Salar. — {The (,ominon Salmon.)— Colour: the back usually ol'a bluish black, which diminishes in intensity as it approaches the lateral Uno, which is a narrow Idack stripe, the sides of a silvery hue, and the belly pure white. Tlie head is some- what darker than the back. Opercles with one or more dark spots, which are also occasionally dispersed over that part of the bodv above the lateral line, the females usually exhibiting:; a lari-er number of these spots than the males. The tail of the younu; salmon is commonly forked ; but in the adult fish it is lunated or almost s<|uare. Tlicdors;d, pectoral and caudal tins arc dusky black, tlie ventrals are liuht colored, and the anals are silvery white, like the belly. The body is covered with thin oval scales, but the head is smooth and frcic from them. There are two dorsal tins, the first with thirteen rays, the second fatty, long and rounded, and without any rays. IMie pectoral fins have , twelve rays, the ventral nine, the anal nine, and the caudal ninisteen. The lateral fin is straight and runs very nearly through the (tentre. From its lithe beauty, its wonderful activity, and its value as an article of food, it unquestionably takes precedence of all the fish that swim in our waters. Such are some of the leading' features by which this beautiful fish may be distinguished, beautiful indeed whether it swims in its native element, its sides sparkling like molten silver, or smoking on the table, it graces the beginning of the feast. And now for a few words on some of the habits of the salmon. lie is unquestionably the most active of all the finny tribes, but the w(»n- derful leaps he is recorded to make are all moonshine. Scropc says he has seen them perform some superb somersets, but never yet saw one which could scale a perpendicular water-fall of ten feet. That they have been taken above water-falls three or four times as high we do not deny ; but the wonder may be dispensed with, when we remember that a water-fall seldom occurs which does not contain a number of 48 ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. il i I Ji i resting places, for the salmon to take advanta^^e of while on his upward journey. " Ephemera" in /icir.H Life in London, January 4th, 1854, Kcems to doubt whetlicr salmon can leap more than six feet. Moses ir. Perlcy, whose accurate observations have thrown much light upon the ^■atural History of Fishes, says they ircquently leap falls ten and twelve feet in height, and that '' it is believed the utmost limit of perpendicular height which a salmon can attain in leaping is fourteen feet." W. H. Herbert in hisinterosting workou Fish and Fishing in America, says : *•' I once watched a salmon for above an hour, endea- voring to pass a mill-dam on the river Wharfe, a salmon river in the West Hiding of Yorkshire. The dam was thirteen or fourteen feet at least in height, it was formed with a sort of step midway, on which the water fell making a double cascade. While I was watching him, this fish, which I suppose was seven or eight pounds, made above twenty leaps, constantly alighting from his spring about midway the upper shoot of water, and being constantly swept back into the eddy at its foot. After a pause of about a couple of minutes, he would try it again, and such were his vigour and endurance, that he at last suc- ceeded in surmounting the formidable obstacle." The old fable, that in making their leaps, the salmon take their tails in their mouth and rise by the force of the spring like an elastic bow, has been very long exploded. Scrope says : "they rise very rapidy from the very bottom to the surface of the water by means of rowing and sculling, as it were with their fins and tails ; and this powerful impetus bears them upwards in the air, on the same principle that a few tugs of the oar make a boat shoot onwards after one lias ceased to row." " Ephemera" says : " the ascending motion is caused by the salmon striking the water downwards with its pectoral, ventral and dorsal fin, aided by bodily muscular action." There is no doubt then that this muscular exertion often gives to the fish its curvilinear form. The salmon is a shy fish, and as he invariably inhabits the clearest water, it is always important that the anglers movements should be particularly cautious ; and in throwing the fly he should throw it clear across the stream if possible, and after letting it float down for a few yards he should gradually draw it back again, with an upward ten- dency. Like all other fish that swim near the surface of the water, the salmon cannot be eaten in too fresh a condition ; the texture of its flesh, which is pink, is remarkably solid ; the latter circumstance is proved by the fact that you cannot carry a salmon by the gills, as you ANIMALS OF NORTH A.MERK'A. 4U can other fi.sli, without tcjirinu; imd niutihitini,' lilin to an unconnnon dciirec. As won as the rivers arc free i'rom ieo, say thobcuinniiifiof May, the sahnon thrown fat and silvery on their sea found food, ajtpear in the estuaries, where they usually remain for a time, jioinp; up with tlic flood and returninu; with the ebb. It seems that tiiev remain fir a time in the brackish waters, as a preptiratory step to their iidand journey. When they first come from sea, tliey are fat and lieavy, their sides are covered witli sea lice, and their tins are soft from the actioi» of the salt water. By remainint;" a short time in the fresher water of the estuaries, they rid themselves of the sea lice, gradually lose sometliinjj; in weiii,ht and fatness, and their lins bccomini;- hardened, are more capable of sustaining them in their ofton lon<;' and laborioi^s ascent, while the iish themselves become proportionably more active and mus- cular. They ascend the rivers alter this, preferring a flood or freshet, and in ascending a river they invariably tarry for a short time in all the pools of the s.ame. Thoir object in doing this has not been clearly defined ; but is it unreasonable to suppose that they are influenced by the same motives which induce a human traveller to tarry in a pleasant valley ? Tlie only difference is that wlien the man would resume his journey he waits for a sunny day, while the salmon prefers a rainy day to start upon his pilgrimage. The finest places to fish for salmon are the shallows above deep pools, and it is a settled fact, that after killing a fish, another is sure to be found in the same place in the course of a few hours. It would thus seem they are partial to certain localities ; yet nevertheless they are a restless fish, and seldom found a second time in exactly the same spot ; but their principal travelling time is in the night, when the stars arc shining brightly, aud all the world is wrapt in silence. " As the ieo melts away in the spring," says Dr. J. V. Smith, in his interesting book on the Fishes of Massachusetts, " they rush to the rivers from the ocean ; and it is an undeniable fact, confirmed by successful experiments, that they visit, as far as possible, the very streams in which they were born. When undisturbed, they swim slowly in schools near the surface ; yet they are so timid, that if sud- denly frightened, the whole column will turn back directly towards the sea. It has also been proved that a salmon can scud at the surprising velocity of thirty miles an hour.'' The streams which these fish ascend, are invariably distinguished '1 60 ANIMALS (II-' NORTH AMKIUCA. I'or tlieii' rocky iind frravclly Ixtttoins, I'm* tlit> coMin'ssiuid purity ol'tlicii' wnttM", and lor tlicir niiiid currents. Tlni>-(; \vlii(li jiflord the anuior the most pport an; rather huiall and shallow, andonipty into tidc-wator rivers; while in the others they are (diielly taken with the net. The rivers in the Nortliern part of the I'nited States liavinu,- all more or less heen bloeked up with mill-dams, the salmon is only I'ound in their estuaries; and it is said the only river in the I'nited States whicli n\tr Fish.)— \W\y oloiijjattd, i'oMi|.iv.srf»Ml towards tlu; tail, cylindrical. TIk; scaU'S an; thick, ,-^inuutli, rhoiiiboidal, linnly attached — — »«. !i arc hinged similar ud socket lunuatioii, riaiis. Many ol' tho this genus. AVhcn i' subdivisidns. This ca. It is sometimes /'•V^- /.«.,, / - ''"^--« VU.nARr«. ''''''''''''^''''f*'; ol'thQt)m\lynt' t]w s! idJ5«/(/A, /Benii.s.ing Thompson to cnll '«« tlirown ,,„,,, ""''''' '"''V'-c.s of the Biv(Tnn,i,i ,, zusLineaiis. This ;;- '" ".0 w:'; S; . -'„ i--- -f-rlS'^,,:^- ;■.•«'. ^'-"-^ " -" '•' "■" -"-■ P;. . "» "ot along tlio coast a,s ft' "''.,,"".'<"•. "'lu.-'lioicrs. ChaHevoU »„y., aaagifeyfejon,n,o„„,, , . ""' ""'' "'' »'fe w,"l' vef. l'« thras.s his bill ~ -~---^^-i-SS=:5''lue S.„ . antinj;toivst takes this •^SEOONus ..B ^^^"^^^ISJIIlrHWI^Iuhe it; the a,h then opens »o» ^/a«c "" ^'' ^"^* *^^ ^^'^"^^ ^^elduui es- ivaret. ' somewhat of Herodotus. s/*/i and Gizzard fi h "^^^"^ regarded the teeth ■N^ew Brunswick Afrt, Jache, and that pricking ''''^^'^i/9n abdomiZefrj^e f ' it instantly away." The ^^»y of SaiTnonidiie • of fi ^'^^ ^*^ ^'^' picrced with a 'occurs more in the JakP, .». • ' ^''''"^^ "«^^ ^'•^^* ^^^d by any '••^^ia, especially in Lake ff.f "^ '° *''® ^'>crs. It is „, , , , ats think much of it. ^elt^atntlf'^^^^^^^^ ^' ^'^ ^"^^"^ water^yrn'oX^^^^-^ -^---"*-^^- ^appear in the St ll ^emiscouata am . larker streaks and blotches, /a I MORRIIUA PRUTN08A. OADUH TOMOODUS. on French — l*etlie Morne. Improperli/ caJJcA Lochn^ in the lower jyanVhea, and Pi mont on the coast of Gasp6. English — Tom-cod. Front-Jhh. Of the order of Malacnptert/yii mh-hrachinti ; of t.lie family of Gadidoe ; of the gen Iforrhna. The Tom-cod is found in North America, ou iicarly all the shores and in nearly the rivers from the latitude of New York to Hudson's Bay, and perhaps in the Arc Ocean. They enter the mouths of the rivers in the fall or early in the winter, to rea the fresh water, sometimes at a considerable distance from the sea. The females bei then full of e^gs and the males of melt, — these pretty little fish undoubtedly repair fresh water for the purpose of spawning, and are then met with in thick and numero shoals. I need not mention that they are a savory and healthy fish, this is too well kno\ in the lower part of Canada East, where they are caught in large quantities with lin( seines, nets and boxes. This last namod apparatus is used with much success at Chai plain and the neighboring parishes on the north shore. They are mostly used there food ; some are sold or used for feeding cattle. The Tom-cod is most abundant in autumn on the coast of Gasp^, in Uay des Chalet especially, at the mouths of the rivers and harachois. But on account of the limit consumption, they are fished for only during a few weeks., merely to satisfy the wants the inhabitants of the adjoining localities. In the lower parishes of the south shore th appear in summer as well as in the • fall, and are caught in large quantities during th winter when they are kept fresh by being frozen. The small size and softness of the flesh of the Tom-cod prevents it from being pickled It must therefore be eaten fresh and cannot bo brought far during summer. They ar kept frozen in winter, care being taken to keep them as much as possible from the contac of air. According to some United States naturalists, there are several varieties of the Tom cod, and the one I examined, though nearly the same as that described by De Kay, differ in the number of the fin rays. Our variety has D. 13.16.1S ; P. 17 ; V. 6 ; A. 19.19 ; C. 26.L and De Kay's, D. 12.20.18; P. 17; V.6; A. 20.18; C. 37. The size of the Tom-cod varies from G to 12 inches, and sometimes more. They are i voracious as the large cod, and feed on all little fish. [ found in the body of one of thai measuring eleven inches, u bass two and a half inches long, aad a carp of four an a half inches ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. 61 iV/ien, and Pmil )('. ; of the j^cti I and in nearly i laps in the Arc! e winter, to rea tie females bei abtedly repair ck and numero is too well knoT ntities with lim mccess at Clia stly used there Bay des Chaloi lut of the limit iisfy the wants south shore th titles during tli m being pickled mer. They ar from the contac ;ies of the Tom Dc Kay, differ re. They are \ of one of thei rp of four an Bison.— (6'ar /VsA.)— Body elongated, compressed towards the tail, cylindrical. The scales are thick, smooth, rhomboidul, firmly attached to each other by their upper and lower margins, and of a stony hardness. The snout or jaws much elongated, like the snout of an alligator or porpoise ; the upper extendmg somewhat beyond the lower ; both fur- nished over the whole internal surface with rasp-like teeth, and a row of long pointed teeth along their edges. The jaws are lunged similar to the alligator's, its vertebrte (jf the regular ball and socket formation, and it is evidently a connecting link with the Saurians. Many of the fossil fish of the Ganoidei of Agassiz come under this genus. When thoroughly investigated it will doubtless admit of subdivisions. This fish is peculiar to the rivers and lakes of America. It is sometimes called the Bony Pike, BUI Fish, Alligator Gar, and Buffalo Fixh. The young has the lateral line strongly marked, causing Thompson to call it a distinct species under the name of Lepidosteus Lineatus. This fish is very voracious, and when they are taken or seen in the water, fishermen calculate on little sport to take others. Charlevoix says they not only prey upon fish, but also birds, and thus describes their mode of capturing them : '•' concealing himself among the reeds, growing on the marshy borders of a lake or river, he thrusts his bill out of water in an upright position. A bird wanting to rest takes this for a broken bough or reed, and perches upon it; the fi>h then opens its mouth and makes such a sudden spring, that the bird seldom es- capes." This however, we must confess, savors somewhat of Herodotus. The same writer also assures us that '• the Indians regarded the teeth of this fish as a sovereign remedy for the headache, and that pricking with them, where the pain was sharpest, took it instantly awny." The scales form a perfect coat of mail, so thick as not to lie pierced with a spear. The flesh is rank and tough, and not used for Ibod by any civilized people, though the Canadian habitants think much of it. Family Gadid^^. — Genus MoRiiiirA. — Morkiiua Pruinosa. — (^bm-CofZ.).— Scales small ; barbel on lower jaw ; minute small teeth. Colour, dull olivaceous green, with irregular darker streaks and blotches, giving a mottled appearance. Beneath of a silvery white ; in old females this becomes a golden yellow. Dorsals and caudals a dark brown tinged with reddish. Length, from four to twelve inches. After the first frost, (hence a common name for it Fro.st Fish,) and in early winter, they ascend the rivers even into fresh water. They are taken abundantly in the St. Lawrence as far up as Three Rivers, and . 'I, r 62 ANIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. h ^ have been taken, though seldom, at Montreal. The specific name Tom Codus of Mitchell, has frequently been made the subject of animated discussion ; it ranks with cattus, rattus, kc I It is cauuht in large quantities during the winter, by cutting a hole in tlie ice, and lowering a deep net, or even a basket, baited with oft'al ; this being drawn up rapidly every three or four minutes is sure to enclose mure or less of these fish, if at all numerous. This method is also adopted from the wharves on the Hudson river, and with great success ; as many as twelve or fifteen being captured at a single haul, -^he best bait for it is the hard-shell clam. In the St. Lawrence below Montreal, they are so numerous that they are frequently brouglit to market in cart-loads. Genus Lota. — Lota Maculosa. — (^Spotted Burbot, Methy, Dog Fish, Eel-Fout, Ling, <&c.) — Body strong, compressed, anguilliform. Head broad, depressed ; scales minute, round, deeply imbedded ; eyes small, oval. Colour deep Chcstuut brown, marbled with lighter spots. About two feet in length ; abundant in Erie and Ontario and the St. Lawrence. It is very voracious, feeding on cray-fish and all kinds of small fish, but worthless as food, even the Arctic dogs refusing it. Their livers and roe however are considered palatable. According to Dr. Richardson, it is very common in every lake and river from the great Lakes to the frozen Ocean. It is frequently taken with the abdomen so much distended with food, as to give it the appearance of the globe or toad fish. Thompson says of one he examined, that it was so filled with fish, that their tails were actually visible in its mouth, and he found no less than ten dace (Leuciscus Pulciiellus) inside it, none of which were less than four inches in length. Lota Compressa. — {Lesser Eel-Pout.) — Body much compressed, becoming more so until the caudal fin appcnrslike a membranous con- tinuation of the body. The upper jaw is the longest ; the second dorsal fin is continued to and joins the caudal fin, which is rounded. Its colour is a yellowish brown, varied with darker spots. The edges of all the fins are bordered with black ; length from six to eight inches. It is found in the same localities as the preceding, preferring a soft muddy bottom, or deep swamp outlet. LOTA INORNATE LOTA VULGARIS. French — Lotte commune. Lotte de riviere. In Canada — Lochc. Euglisli — Plain Burbot. Eel. Pout. I the order of Malacoptert/t/H. Suh-brachiati ; of the family of Gadidtr ; of the i:;enu» hita. The size of the Burbot, better known in Canada auder the name of Lovlie, rang-es mo'ieio tVree feet. It closely resembles the Eel, but the body is more developed. Color, dark brown, tlie head being almost black ; ordinary sized mouth, armed with eriius minute teeth. The first dorsal and the caudal very long. The specimen fur- ]M to me was thirteen inches long, and the fin rays were fs follows : — D. 12.7; P. 19; V. 7; A. G4; C. 43. The flesh of the Burbot is good. It CDmmouly occurs in the River St. Lawrence, ((lis taken in brush fisheries ov with the line, in winter as well as in summer. I did not meet with the Burbot in the Gaspe and Labrador rivers, but have been [foriretl that it often appears there ; niid the finest species of fish abounding in these aces; uo attention whatever is r)?ad to J I. 'J! 62 ANIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. have been taken, though seldom, at Moctreal. The specific name Tom Codus of Mitchell, has frequently been made the subject of animated discussion ; it ranks with cattus, rattus^ &.c ! It is caught in large quantities during the winter, by cutting a hole in the ice, and lowering a deep net, or even a basket, baited with offal ; this being drawn up rapidly every three or four minutes is sure to enclose more or less of these fish, if at all numerous. This method is also adopted from tlie wharves on the Hudson river, and with great success; as many as twelve or fifteen being captured at a single haul. The best bait for it is the hard-shell clam. In the St. Lawrence below Montreal, they are so numerous that they are^fr^j(^}|gri^Uj^ fefli'^rkt-e'falcen' weighing as much as tif'teeii andj ^"''Its color is greyish blue or yellowish brown above, with grey spots before th. '^'"oneKwotpecimens I studied, which had been caught in the^t T-wred nine inched an.' a half long, and two inches and a quarter thick. The fin lays «| ^•^^^'^''- D.13.0;P. 15; V,12; AIS; C.19«. The ^-^j^^^-^r^Xn:l:^^ ^iir c:^^5^:^^'^^ \s in the other species of the family of SuJmo>ud<,, the second dorsal of the fish is formed of an adipose subsiar.co, without rays. c "" ^ MORBHUl. PRUTN08A. GADUS TOMCODUS. I FrencJ.-PetUe Morue. Improperly cM Loche, in the lower parishes, and\ mont on thr coast of GasgL ^ j:.ti-i ouz. )—may much compressed, becoming more so until the caudal fin appears like a membranous con- tinuation of the body. The upper jaw is the longest ; the second dorsal fin is continued to and joins the caudal fin, which is rounded. Its colour is a yellowish brown, varied with darker spots. The edges of all the tins are bordered with black ; length from six to eight inches. It is found in the same localities as the preceding, preferring a soft muddy bottom, or deep swamp outlet. om ted rge ing up of tlie as 'it ire much as fifteeo and ey spots before th* i in the St. Lawrent ck. The fin rays w ;e and a half inches iaudals forked. ond dorsal of the J8. ower loariahea^ and I, -t 1- il /P .f 3 fel«*V CIIArTER XI. common eel— method of catching tt — sh.ver eel — lakf. sturgeon rock sturgeon — lamprey or lamper-eel — conclusion. order apodes. Family Anguillid^e. — Genus Anguilla. — An(}uilla Ten- UlROSTRis. — (Common Ed.') — Body \ow\i, cylindrical, compressed on sides of the tail. Surface covered with thick mucous, concealini:; scales so minute as to be visible only under a lens. The head small and flattened above, pointed ; lower jaw longest ; eyes placed just above the angle of the mouth. The dorsal, caudal and anal fins are united ; pectoral fins narrow, ventrals wanting. Colour, green'.sh olive above, yellow beneath ; length one to two feet. When skinned and properly dressed, it is an excellent article of food, but many persons find it difficult to surmount the prejudice of its snake-like appearance ; though certainly those fastidious people would doubtless prefer the serpentine form of the eel to the so-called Bush Fish, eaten by the early settlers in the valley of the Mohawk, on Fridays, which legendary lore tells us, in the absence of real fish, were nothing more or less than snakes, cooked as eels ! In spring and summer the eel is taken in large wicker baskets, called eel-pots, which are baited with offal, and from which, when the eel has once entered, it is impossible for it to make its exit. Night-lines, laid with numerous hooks, are also a sure method of cap- ture, and spearing by torchlight affords a favourite amusement. All dead animal substances are a great attraction for eels. Those taken from running water are the best flavored, since those which lie in deep holes, or about stagnant pools, taste strongly of the muddy bottom. The structure of the branchial organs of the eel, enables it to live for a long period out water, and as they can move along the ground, it is not uncommon to find them shifting their quarters from one creek to another, by crawling through the grass when wet. It lives equally well in salt, brackish, or fresh water. It is a powerful, muscular fish, and should one, having seized the angler's hook, contrive to entwine (It AMMAI-S or NORTH AMERICA. a pile or stone with liis tail, its strength is such that woe to the tackle, unless ot'tlie strongest description ; and it is only by patiently waiting fill the fish disentangles itself, that the prize can be secured. The Siloer Eel is only a variety, though by sonic it is mentioned as a differ- ent species; it is silver grey above, clear white satiny abdomen. This is doubtless the Ant.uii.la Aroentea oI'Leclaire. Anouili.a IJosTUNiKNsis. — (jrcyish brown above, grey beneath. Vent, yellowish ochre ; about twenty-tour inches long ; a line of red about the tail : not at all common. order eleutiieropo.mi. Family Sturionid.e. — Gf.nis Accipenskr. — Accipenser Ru- BICUNDTS. — {Lake Stur<^eon.') — Body most elevated at the nape of the necl-. ITead flat, obli(|uely descending to the end of tlie snout ; covered with rough radiated bony plates. Eyes round, with vertical pupil. Tour barbels transversely arranged under snout. Dorsal species of this fish. Some naturalists pretend that the Lump fish going to spawn ^und tho spawning being over, they return to the blucish color ; whilst others ho 'Hhe males are always red, and the females blue. This is certainly a wrong assert I'Cggs are found in the bodies of the Lumps of both colors. w The Lump fish arc generally one foot long, but measure sometimes two 11 y.weigh as much as twenty pounds j they are short and thick, and being bad swinin , account of their shape, are preyed upon by seals, sharks and other large fish. The first fin is covered with a thick skin, and closely resembles a hump. The '^'dorsals, anal and caudal are comparatively small. Tho ventral has a peculiar sliap r(ray3 united beneath form a sucker, resembling an oval and concave disk, which [ frthem to adhere firmly to the rocks or any solid substance. The pectorals arc very jj. partially concealing the disk of the ventrals. , The flesh of the Lump fish, especially in the spring, is very healthy and good ' dlices and fried in butter. It is sometimes served on the table in Bay des Chaleuis ^^to my knowledge, I am not aware of its being used elsewhere in Canada, as faoi tl Europe it is considered a great delicacy, and is seen on the fish markets along w St highest prized fish. . fa ^^ CYCLOPTEIIUS LYPARIS. LIPAIllS VULGARIS, th _ ^ — ^jj French. — Liparis. Englisli. -Unctuous Sucker. Sea-snail, hsn generally ueeamo exnausiea ana died, and was then drawn into tho canoe by hand." AcciPENSER OxYRiiYXcus. — (AS'/if.'^T? Nosed Sturgeon.) — Body elongated, tapering ; form pentagonal. The angles cov with rough and bony radiated plates. Tlie rest of the skin rom aed by small scabrous particles of bony matter, resembling the spi^ Jjc of minute de, ing he IT- >ijgc(l to that viirit . llAd. family of St^U'xia Gulf tlurior' th< 3h going to spawn wliilst others hoi nly a wrong asscrti somcthues two i'e I beiug bad swiiun jr large fish. Ics a hump. The las a peculiar sliap ive disk, which | )ectorals are very healthy and good, I Bay des Ciialcurs ! in Canada, as faoi markets aloni>; wi us. ^''iMSftgiisi^^g^^; IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // ^ %^ 1.0 1.1 11.25 £ Itt 12.0 M FholQgFaphlc .Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. I43S0 (716) •72-4503 A V •1>^ niin Lamprey ; according to librniation received. I cannot give a description of these two varieties, having none in my osse.ssion. .The Lamprey I examined was caught in the River St. Lawrence, below Quebec, and ijica.cd to iiic to be the sanic; as the small European Lamprey or Sued {Pitromyzon paiuri, Blorh), and the small Lamprey of De Kay, called Ptromyzron appendix, vt\- loujrh I did not llnd this appendage at the anterior part of the caudal fin, from which lis j-pccios was callepcncd), circular, armed with numerous incurved and sharp teeth. In one side of the throat one large and semi-circular tooth, with seven well-developed Jtints ; on the other side, a group formed of three large teeth, two on the same row, the Iher farther in the throat. Only one dorsal, beginning at the centre of the back. (This Jaturo distinguishes this species from the Pctromyzon Americanus and Nigricans of l>o lay, having two distinct dor.sals.) The anal fin is nearly one third of the dorsal. Color, dark plumbeous above and along the sides, somewhat paler underneath. Fins, Ilk brown. 1 hope to bo enabled next year to describe the other .species of Lampreys found in the ilf ind rivers that fall into it. 'J ho Lamprey is well liked in many parts of Europe, and especially in France, icr( a large consumption is made. The Sea Lamprey is preferred ; its flesh is ore delicate. As an article of food it is hardly known here, as well as in the other [itish Provinces ; whilst in the United States it is held in high estimation, and is often p r n the table of t)ie epicure. Ihe Lamprey appears to be very prolific, and they ascend streams in the spring to posit their spawn. %^ (16 ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. to them, and others witii flesh wounds on their 8ides, bearini; indu- bitable marks ol'tlieir having been attacked by these rapacious " vermin " Anchored at 'J'rinity 11 00 " Lflt Trinity " -i CO p.m. <* Arrived ntCiuibow Islit.s... 7 CO " " Left Curil.ou fskts 9 00 <' 4. Anchored at I'cnt'-costliiver 1 00 u.m. " Left Pcntccnst Kivor 1> 00 " << Stopped at Kii;rc,'cd Ishxnds . 1 0 00 " " Left Ragged Ishinda.. . .10 15 *' << Anchored at Seven Islands. . 3 20 p.m. <( t' << (( ». <( (i " Anchored at House Harbor.. 1 15 p. r 1 7. At House Harbor. 18. Left House Harbor 4 00 a.i Anchored at Amherst Harbor 7 00 Left Amherst 3 16 p.i Anchored at Entry Island.. 8 30 Left Entry Island 9 30 Anchored at the Basin (Am- , herst) 11 46 (vith great dexterity to wound their enemies. They have no anal fin. Color. Slate above ; abdomen greyish white. Our fishermen pretend that the wound of the fin spines is venomous, and fei iftich. I could not ascertain the veracity of this opinion, and the naturalists I have iulted do not mention it. The Dog-fish occurs in Europe as well as in America, and is found in the nort ;eas. RAIA INTERMEDIA. RAIA OCELLATA. French — Rate Tachetec, English — Ocel/ated Ray. )f the order of ChvniJropterygii ; of the family of Raiidte; of tho trib« Ri During the month of October last, I got, at Bryon's Island, where this species of < very common, several specimens of this variety of Kays. Here follows a short description of the largest : Length of the body, 2 11. lOi in. " " tail, 1 " 10 " Thickness of the body, . . 3 " 8 " Distance from the end of the snout to the mouth, . . 0 '< 10 " Breadth of mouth, 0 " 6 J " Branchial apertures, five on each side, underneath the stomach ; pectorals I entrals divided iit two lob^. ; two dorsal^ on thfi.i#|lj„ipou^k.t''f.nivyvf" the regular angler's sporting, it is attended with much that we must deem poetical and interesting. Who can doubt this, when we consider the picturesque eflfect of a boat and lighted torch gliding along the wild shores of a lake, on a still dark night, with one figuro noiselessly ,A v.. indu- orniin ouse Huibor.. 1 15 p. r bor. arbor 4 00 a.i mherst Harbor 7 00 ' 3 15p.i ilntry Island.. 8 30 < land 9 30 *• the Basin (Am- . 1146 1 ....„..- -.»■ •••««v*A V4AV I Ifin. is vcnonious, and fei lie naturalists I have is found in the nort e; of the trib« /?( where this species of 2 ft. lOi in . 1 " 10 « -3 « 8 " . 0 « 10 " 0 " 5J " Itomach ; pectorah i 1 i i must 1 msider 1 ag the 1 clessly u ANIMALS or NORTH AMERICA. 07 plyino; an oar in the stern, and tlio animated attitude of another relieved a-ainst the liro-li-ht, standin- in the bows, ^-pear in hand, recallin- to the classic mind the 8ty-ian marshes, with their dusky ierryman. What a pleasure to behold by the f.darc of tlic pine-knots, the various linny tribes amid their own chosen haunts, leading:; as Leigh Hunt has exquisitely written : — " A coM, swoct, silver lifo, wrnpped in ronml waves, IJuieltcnca with touclius of tninsi.ortiiiK fear!-" And now brothers of the gentle art, may ye lure many a speckled beauty from the mountain stream, and silvery salmon from tho placid pool ; may you return from your summer expeditions with a stock (.f that glorious fresli feeling, which even a slight taste of bush life and mountain solitudes afford ; and in the moments of silent contemplation by the river's brink, recall those fishermen of old, to whose simplicity of life and innocence of mind, we owe our hopes of eternal happiness through the Son of Ilim who " saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good !" i! ,U CIIAlTKll XII. A. i^ i^ Ti: ]sr D I TIk' followinii' iiitcrcsliiifr lotti-r is t-ikcn from tlie F'uld newspaper pul»lislio(l in London : — "Dnring three seasons past I have observed salmon whilst l)roodin,u; in one of the trihntaries of the Sa<:nenay. The locus In quo is a shoal and rapid sj)0t, witii shelterinjj; boulders, and lonir spits rtf pehhly bottom. The eurrent is lively, but not lieavy or strom:. Autumn leaves cannot lodi:e in it, and brandies or small drift-wood sticks liurry past upon its rippling surl'aee, as if conscious that their presence mi^dit ineonvenifnee the family parties already in possession of the fdiallow homestead. 3Iany preconceived and some favorite notions about the habits of this iisli were rudely shaken. ]}ooks had taught me pecu- liaritii's sueh as at no time c(»uld I then actually observe. The most prominent of cnntradii-tions were, that the fish did not root with snouts amongst the gravel to make tnnighs for the ova; nor did tlie pairs work by turns; neither was the male accustomed to perform alone his milting in the furrow where her ladyship had just lel't those delicately-colored, eggs, of the ' pale pearly pink of sea shells.' I saw nothing of such ascribed habits. The female alone was industrious ; the male fierce and pugnacious. She, filled with the cares of lier maternity, seemed diligently absorbed in the success of her feminine instincts ; lie, sexual, masculine, selfish aud bullying — a very ' fancy man : ' ever and anon jostling her ; now running his beak into little ridges of sand or gravel in some furious rush after rival salmon or maraudering trout and kicking up a most unbecoming dust : tlien, again rudely overturning her in the awkward conflict, and tumbling into the nest a new pile of gravel, to her intense disgust. The way this active and tidy fishwife does her busy duty is curious. She wriggles herself among the small stones, and with rapid motions of the caudal and anal tins, and a winnowing action of the tail and body (turning over ANIMAI.M or NdllTIl AMElUf.V. OD nltornatcly upon nn<' sido and nnotlu'V), slic keeps fnunititics fif'unvfl ill f;it on tlio edilyiii'j liollnw. S.'ind :ind liirhtt'i* ])!irtlelo,s frail down the current ))ehind Iter. It seemed to nic at* il' the power exereised l)y her niotioii-; in the water had ainiost, if not quite, as much to (h» witli thr disjilai-ini: ol' 'jravtl and s.iiid as thu bodily movement au;ainst them. TIk; ^ame thin;j, may he seen wh ))iilly of the throng' tlu'ii settles alon<:side her; and, as ni'.irly as I couM perceive, their milt ami ova are thn- expressed in actual contact, hoth lying almost upon their siiles durim:" a stvoiii;' (juiverinu' pressuri'. The function pcrlbrmed, she slinks lazily away. She riMuains fnr a few luoments (juiet, as if to let things settle; and soon recommcnei's her previous winnowing along either side (d' the furrow, hut this time advancini:' a little, and stirrim: down soiae grav»d I'rom ahove. [ was much hitcrestcd, and not a little suri»ri>cd, with w hat I .-aw. Vou may de])end upon it, sir, althouirh the salmon is ;i iiiie, uenteel and nol»!e Hsh, he is not hall' so platonie a hreedor as some amateur and theoretic naturalists have reported him to he. He is a creature of like pa.ssions witli all others — cold-blooded, if you please, but not therefore insensate. A trout can be tickled ; why should not the higiur and richer-fed memljcr of that respectable family — Sdlmonidn — feel uccasionally a trifle ticklish ? Oh, no ! Mv. Salar is not a sentimental and ultra- domestic Chinaman, lie docs not lie a-hed and sympathise, pain for pain, with his laboring nuite. He has more of the Indian nature, and if lie had ' portages ' to make, would leave his squaw to bear the heaviest burdens. My native gallantry forbids me to think so hii^hly as before of this king of fresli-water lish. IJold. a'^ile, powerful, saga- ciou.s (thougli sometimes suicidally bent on poking his head into meshes, and darting] into apertures tliat he irou't again come out through), often, too, wide-awake for anxious anglers, and too i'ertile in combative resources for the hand and tackle of nervous fly-fishers, — withal I put down this lord of salmondoni as a selfi.^h water-type of that terrestrial lord of creation sung about in the old song." INDEX. I'AUK Alligator Gar 01 Appendix, Spawning of Salmon r.8 narbel :il 13833, Black 1!' " Rock 1!> " Small l** » White Laki! 15 Beaver-fisb '•*' imi-lirib ^l Broam •**' Butralo-fiah ^^ Bull-head '-^^ Burbot, Spotted '"-J Carp, Common 2'J Cat-fish, Black 28 " Brown 28 " Common 27 " Channel 21 " (ireatLako 27 " Richardson's 2H Chub, Horned .'il " Large 31 •• Small 30 Chub-sucker 30 Ciscovet 58 Cod, Tom CI Dace, Black-Headed 33 " Black-nosed 32 « Horned 31 " Roach 33 •• Shining 33 Darter, Tesaellated 18 Dog-fish 62 Dor6 15 Eel, Common 63 " Silver 64 yAUP. Eel-pout 62 " Lesser 62 Fecundity of Fish 12 Fiii^, DiHeront !» Frost-lish 61 CJar-liib Jft- 6/ (Uuss-eyp 15 llerriiifj:, Liiko 60 Horn-pout 27 Huron, Uliick 15 Laiiiprcyi Blue 05 " Mii.l (16 ]Ai\K 62 Longc 57 Malasbegany 26 Maskinongfi 4.'! Metby 62 Minnow, Barred 34 " Hlack I'A " White 33 Moon-eye, Lake (10 Mud-iish 6» Mud-pout 27 Mullet, Golden 31 Perch, Black 14 " Common IJ " Pike 15 " Sharp-nosed 14 Pickerel, Canadian 17 " Common 15 " Grey 17 Pickering, Champlain 15 Pike, Common 61 " Bony 61 Pond-fish 22 Quinnat 58 7'> INDEX. l-AtiB Roilfm 33 Roftch-dace p Rongh-head '^"^ Salmon ^'^ «' Trout 50 '' Spawning ^^ Shad, American 00 •« Salmon f'-* " Hastard Sheep-head '^^'> Shiner ^^ Stickleback, Four Spined 24 " Six Spined 25 Sturgeon, Lake 64 " Sharp-nosed 64 l'A(.K Sucker, Black 32 •' Common 30 " Horned 30 '• Long-nosed 32 «• Mullet 31 " Pale 31 « Rock 30 Sun-fish, Common 22 " Black-eared 23 Trout, Brook 53 " Mackinaw 57 " Red-bellied 53 '• Salmon 53 Wind-fish 30 White-Fish 59 I'Al.K .. 32 .. 30 .. 30 .. 32 .. 31 .. 31 ... 30 ... 22 ... 23 ... 53 ... 57 ... 53 ... 53 ... 30 ... 59