664 NATURAL HISTORY OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



Valley, as well as in all the streams of the South from Mexico to New Jersey. In all the larger 

 streams it is abundant, sometimes extremely so, but in the smaller rivers it is scarce. It is a 

 hardy and voracious fish, being usually considered very destructive to the young of other and 

 better fishes. It is fair to say that remains of fishes are rarely found in its stomach. It reaches a 

 length of five to six feet. It is usually considered wholly worthless, being killed and thrown away 

 whenever taken. The flesh is very tough, and is said to be noxious. I have never known it to be 

 eaten. It spawns in early summer, running up smaller streams, often in company with the various 

 Sturgeons. At Ogdensburg, New York, they come upon the shoals for this purpose about May 20. 

 Another spawning ground is on a beach near Point Salubrious, Chaumont Bay, New York, about 

 a mile from the post-office. 



The Short-nosed Gar-pike (Lepidosteus platystomus) occurs in the same waters, reaches about 

 the same size, and is similar in habits. It is most common southwestward. 



Le Sr. de Champlain, visiting the lake which bears his name in the year 1609, speaks of a 

 large fish, undoubtedly the Gar-pike, there found : 



"Among the rest there is one called by the Indians of the country Chaousaron, of divers lengths. 

 The largest, I was informed by the people, are of eight to ten feet. I saw one of five, as thick as 

 a thigh, with a head as big as two fists, with jaws two feet and a half long, and a double set of 

 very sharp and dangerous teeth. The form of the body resembles that of the pike, and it is armed 

 with scales that the thrust of a poniard cannot pierce, and it is of a silver-gray color. The point 

 of the snout is like that of a hog. This fish makes war on all others in the lakes and rivers, and 

 possesses, as these people assure me, a wonderful instinct; which is, that if it wants to catch any 

 birds it goes among the rushes or reeds bordering the lake in many places, keeping the beak out 

 of the water without budging, so that when the birds perch on the beak, imagining it the limb of 

 a tree, it is so subtle that closing the jaws, which it keeps half open, it draws the birds under 

 water by the feet. The Indians gave me a head of it, which they prize highly, saying that when 

 they have a headache they let blood with the teeth of this fish at the seat of pain, which immedi- 

 ately goes away." l 



THE ALLIGATOR GAB LEPIDOSTEUS SPATULA. 



This species is known almost universally as the "Alligator Gar"; in Spanish, "Manuari." It 

 abounds in large bodies of water tributary to the Gulf of Mexico, being found in Mexico and Cuba 

 as well as in the United States. Its northern range extends to the Ohio Eiver, where, however, 

 it is not common. It reaches an enormous size, being sometimes more than ten feet in length. In 

 habits it is probably essentially similar to the smaller Gar-pikes. It has no value as food, but is 

 said to be somewhat dangerous to men and domestic animals. 2 



It is found in various tributaries of the Gulf of Mexico, and also in the headwaters of Saint 

 John's River, Florida. It is distinguished by its broad snout. In Arkansas the country people 



' Doc. Hist, of N. Y., iii, 1850, 6. See also, SAGAKD : Grand Voyage <lu Pays cles Huron, Paris, 1632. 



"A MAN'S FIGHT WITH A FISH. Mr. James F. Simmons, of Redbono district, had a narrow and peculiar escape 

 the other day. He was fishing on Flint Eiver, and had attempted to swim across to get a bateau from the opposite 

 side. About half way over the stream he stopped on a root or tree to rest. After remaining there a short time, he 

 plunged off for the other shore. Just as lie made a plunge a tremendous lish, known as the Gar, struck him, catching 

 his thigh iu its mouth, and leaving an ugly and painful wound. A regular battle then took place between the man 

 and the fish, and lasted for some minutes, until finally Mr. S. got back on his resting place, and his enemy departed. 

 During the fight Mr. S. threw the fish some feet above the water, but it continued the attack. Mr. S. was thoroughly 

 frightened and called lustily for help. He has several ugly and painful wounds given him by the fish, yet none 

 serious. This is the first time wo over heard of a Gar attacking a man, yet they say it frequently does so. Talbottov 

 (Ga.) Standard, July, 1879. 



