360 SEVENTH RETORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



It is recorded that in 1865 Mr. Schultz caught a Mascalonge at Milwaukee 

 weighing 100 pounds. In 1864 Fred. Alvord declared that he had an 85-pound 

 specimen in Maumee Bay. The average length of the species is about 3 feet, and 

 there is reason to believe that a length of 8 feet is sometimes reached. Individuals 

 weighing 50 pounds arc moderately common. With the exception of the Lake 

 Trout and some of the Salmon, this is undoubtedly the largest game fish in the 

 United States. 



The fish seem not to be gregarious, but occur usually in pairs. Their food 

 consists mainly of smaller fishes, and their voracity is notorious. In the spawning 

 season, in small rivers falling into Lake Simcoe, Richardson states that they feed 

 on small fishes and on gelatinous green balls which grow on the sides of banks 

 under the water. 



This is an excellent food fish, but not common enough to have much commercial 

 importance. As a game fish it has few superiors. The spoon bait is very effective 

 in the capture of Mascalonge, and live fishes are extensively used. A correspondent 

 of Land and Water describes a singular and successful lure made from a young 

 brown calf's tail, through the center of which the shank of the hook was passed and 

 fastened to a swivel. 



77. Northern Mascalonge {Lucius ininiaculatns Garrard). 



Body unspotted, or with vague, dark, cross shades; tail a little more slender and 

 fins a little higher than in the Spotted or Lake Mascalonge. 



Lakes and rivers of Wisconsin and Minnesota, locally abundant. This is 

 probably not distinct from the Mascalonge of Chautauqua Lake. 



78. Unspotted Mascalonge ; Barred Mascalonge \Lucins oJiicnsis Kirtland). 

 Lucius hicius immaculatus Bean, by error. Bull. .\m. Mus. N.it. Hist., IX. 353, 1897. 



Examples of Unspotted Mascalonge were received at the New York aquarium 

 from Chautauqua Lake, N. Y., which belongs to the Ohio River drainage system. 

 It appears that the typical spotted form also inhabits the Ohio basin, but occurs 

 rarely. Mr. Annin sent one individual December 4, 1895, and two on May 4, 1896. 



In all the specimens tlie maxilla extends to below the front edge of the pupil. 

 The gill rakers are mere clumps of spiny tubercles. In the two males the diameter 

 of the eye is contained from four and one-third to five times in the length of the 

 snout, and from 10 to 11 times in the length of the head. 



