288 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



morning sturgeon were seen sporting "like porpoises" in the deeper 

 water below, after wbicli they immediately returned to the lahe. They 

 occur at Swanton with such surprising regularity that many of the in- 

 habitants keep spears in readiness for them, and I am told that they 

 rarely vary more than a day or two in the time of their appearance. 



The only fish markets of any importance on Lake Champlain are at 

 Burlington, Vt , and Plattsburg, jS". Y., the fish selUng for a trifle less on 

 the Vermont side. The hotels do not generally patronize the markets, 

 but purchase direct from the fishermen. Practically, all the fish are 

 taken in nets, and those caught after the latter part of April come mostly 

 from certain parts of Grand Isle, which belongs to Vermont. In March 

 and April seines are set to catch the fish upon and on their way to the 

 spawning-beds. Last spring (1882) there were six large seines in the 

 Missisquoi River below Swanton. Few escape to deposit their spawn. 

 The same method is practiced in other rivers, and I am credibly informed 

 that for a period of six weeks each spring from 30 to 40 barrels of fish 

 are shipped daily from the north end of Lake Champlain alone. Most 

 of them go to New York. Inquiries at Rouse's Point disclosed the sig- 

 nificant fact that an average of 25 to 30 barrels pass through that place 

 daily " for a period of at least five weeks in the months of March and 

 April." In the spring of 1878, 20,000 pike died in a small pond in 

 which they were placed to await '" a raise " in the market i^rice. 



Locust Grove, N. Y., February 15, 1883. 



149.— A liAIVD LOCKED SAt,I?aON CAtTGHT IN ERIE CAIVAt,. 



By ^VATTS T. JLOOMIS. • 



[From a letter to Prof. S. F. Baird.] 



I have just received a line from Capt. L. A. Beardslee inclosing yours 

 asking about the " California salmon " caughthere. The fish was caught 

 in the Erie Canal at this place, and was, according to Seth Green, a land- 

 locked salmon. A large number of landlocked salmon were jdaced 

 within two or three years past uj^onthe headwaters of the Moose River, 

 and the way here from there is easy. 



A large number of California salmon were placed in the Mohawk at 

 this place ten or more years ago, and so far as I know were never heard 

 from. If they visited the sea they could not get back, as Cohoes Falls 

 stands in the way. 



Little Falls, N. Y., May 28, 1884. 



