306 



BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



127. Cottus asper Richardson. Prickly Bullhead. 



Two specimens, 4 and 4.5 inches long, seined in upper stream of Deep Bay at Loring; 1 specimen, 

 4.3 inches long, at Loring; 3 specimens, 5.5 to 6.5 inches long, taken on hook and line in Nana River 

 at Loring; 1 specimen. 5.5 inches long, seined in Hunter Bay; 2 specimens, each about 3.25 inches long, 

 taken on hook and line near the Fortmann hatchery; 2 specimens (no. 3031 and 3032), 6.25 and 7 inches 

 long, from Hunter Bay, taken on hook and line. 



Thirty-five specimens, 1.75 to 7.5 inches long, collected in McDonald Lake, September 26, 1905. 

 These are variously rough and smooth on the sides. The size does not seem to make any difference 

 in the roughness, it being present or absent in all sizes. The black spot on the posterior part of dorsal 

 disappears in the larger examples. 



Seventeen specimens, 3 to 6 inches long, seined in McDonald Lake, August 24, 1905; agree with 

 the preceding in regard to roughness. 



Six specimens, 4 to 6.75 inches long, collected in fyke net in McDonald Lake, July 29. 1905. 

 These specimens are smooth, except for a small area under pectoral, which is slightly rough. 



Twelve specimens, 3.5 to 5 inches long, seined in McDonald Lake on August 22. 1905. The stomach 

 contents were chiefly snails and parasitic worms. These specimens vary greatly in roughness of body, 

 some having only a slight rough place under pectoral, others of the same size and of different sizes having 

 the entire side of body more or less rough; all have a very distinct black blotch as large or larger than 

 eye on posterior base of spinous dorsal; the fins are otherwise unmarked. 



In addition to the above there were secured from Yes Bay and McDonald Lake 26 specimens varying 

 from 2 to 5 inches, and 18 specimens from 2 to 6.5 inches from Loring and vicinity; two of the latter taken 

 in Steelhead Creek, June 19, 1904, were full of nearly ripe eggs. 



This species is common in fresh-water streams and lakes about Loring, and at the Fortmann hatchery 

 might be seen any day in the clear waters of the stream or lake. It is reputed to be very destructive 

 to salmon eggs. 



Following the suggestion of Mr. J. O. Snyder (in "Notes on the Fishes of the Streams flowing into 

 San Francisco Bay, California,"' Appendix to the Report of the Commissioner of Fisheries to the Secre- 

 tary of Commerce and Labor for the year ending June 30, 1904) that C. asper, dorsal rays 19 to 22, anal 

 16 to 18, may be separated from C. gulosus dorsal rays 17 or 18, anal 12 to 14, by the greater number of 

 dorsal and anal rays in the former, and also that C. asper is confined largely to the lower courses of streams, 

 while C. gulosus is found farther up where the water is clear and the current rapid, we identify our speci- 

 mens as C. asper. They were all taken in or near tide water, and the following table of fin counts places 

 them with C. asper: 



Length of anal base usually about equal to head, sometimes, as in last example, somewhat longer. 



128. Cottus gulosus (Girard). 



Specimens of this species were secured onlyal Loring and Boca de Quadra. They wen- 16 in number 

 and measured 1 to 4 inches in length. Many of the larger ones taken at Loring, May 29, 1904, were full 

 of nearlj ripe eggs. 



