592 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Ohamplain and the entire Great lakes region, the Ohio and 

 Mississippi valleys southward to Texas. The U. S. Fish Commis- 

 sion obtained a specimen at Point Breeze N. Y. on Lake Ontario. 

 De Kay reported it as very common in Lake Erie and called 

 sheepshead at Buffalo. At the time of his writing the fish was 

 scarcely ever eaten. It is found principally in large streams 

 and lakes and rarely enters creeks and small rivers. In 

 western Texas the species is rare. In the wilds of Texas, New 

 Mexico and northern Mexico Mr Turpe has found this fish in 

 ■clear limestone streams emptying into the Eio Grande. 



This species is usually found on the bottom, where it feeds 

 chiefly on crustaceans and mollusks and sometimes small fishes. 

 It is specially fond of crawfish and small shells such as 

 C y c 1 a s and P a 1 u d i n a . Mr Turpe mentions water plants 

 as forming part of its food and states that it will take a hook 

 baited with worms or small minnows. 



The fresh-water drum grows to a length of 4 feet and a weight 

 of 60 pounds, but the average market specimens rarely exceed 

 2 feet in length and in many parts of the West much smaller 

 ones are preferred. Nothing is recorded about the breeding 

 habits of this species, and as to its edible qualities there is the 

 greatest difference of opinion. Some writers claim that its flesh 

 is tough and coarse with a disagreeable odor, specially in the 

 Oreat lakes. Individuals from the Ohio river and from more 

 southern streams are fairly good food fish, while in Texas Mr 

 Turpe considers it one of the most excellent of the fresh-water 

 fishes, comparing favorably with black bass. Mr Robert Ridg- 

 way of the National Museum at Washington, pronounces the 

 species from the Wabash river in Indiana, a fine table fish 

 though, he says, other people there consider it inferior. Rich- 

 ardson described what is supposed to be a deformed specimen of 

 this drum under the name of malashegany, which he had from 

 Lake Huron. He described it as a firm, white, well-tasting fish, 

 l3ut never fat and requiring much boiling. 



