Vol. XXVIII, pp. 1-14 February 12, 1915 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



[ 



FIRST LIST OF THE FISHES OF THE VICINITY OF 

 PLUMMERS ISLAND, MARYLAND. 



BY W. L. McATEE AND A. C. WEED. 



Introduction . 



Plummers Island lies in the Potomac River, nine miles above 

 the City of Washington, D. C. It has been the home of the 

 Washington Biologists' Field Club since 1901. The study of 

 its fauna and flora and to some degree that of the surrounding 

 region, is one of the principal objects of the Club. 



The present paper brings up to date the information on the 

 fish fauna of this region. Collecting of fishes has been carried 

 on with varying degrees of activity since 1905. The earlier 

 work was done by W. L. McAtee assisted at times by Dr. A. K. 

 Fisher, H. S. Barber, and W. H. Osgood. In 1912 A. C. Weed 

 and W. L. McAtee collected vigorously, and much assistance 

 was received at that time and since by J. D. Shafer, keeper of 

 Lock No. 11, on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. 



Region Treated. 

 For our survey of the fish fauna of the vicinity of Plummers 

 Island we have selected as our faunal area that section of the 

 Potomac River between Little Falls and Great Falls together 

 with its tributary streams (see map, Plate I). Plummers Island 

 is almost midway of this stretch of the river, which is clearly 

 marked off as a faunal unit. The river between these two falls 

 is deep and with considerable current as a rule; there are several 

 important rapids and the bottom is rocky and rugged. Condi- 

 tions thus are unfavorable for aquatic vegetation, a great factor 

 in modifying the fish fauna. To any one acquainted with the 



1— Prog. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. XXVIII. 1915. (1) 



