FAMILY PERCIDAE 209 



from the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers are sometimes similar to the 

 walleye in color and even in markings, though more mottled. 



'In the walleye the pyloric caeca are 3 in number, subequal, and about 

 as long as the stomach. In the sauger these appendages are 4 to 7 in 

 number and unequal. But even here there is a variation, the walleye 

 sometimes possessing 4 or 5 caeca, and saugers that otherwise appear 

 typical may have a like number. 



The usual color of the eastern sauger is grayish with brassy reflec- 

 tions and with dark mottlings on the sides. The absence of a black 

 blotch on the last dorsal spine and the presence of a black spot at 

 the base of each pectoral fin help to distinguish it from the walleye 

 The length of this species averages about 12 to 14 inches, but may reach 

 18 inches. 



The sauger is found from southern Canada southward to Arkansas, 

 northern Alabama, and West Virginia. It is not common in Wisconsin; 

 Greene (1935) reported it only from the Mississippi below Lake Pepin. 

 It has been reported from the Lake Michigan drainage, where it may 

 be present as a result of introduction. Greene believes its scarcity in 

 Wisconsin is due partly to the competition of its very common near 

 relative, the walleye. The distribution of this fish in Minnesota is rather 

 spotted and indicates its preference for large, clean streams and lakes. 

 Cox (1897) reported it from the Mississippi and its tributaries above 

 St. Anthony Falls. However, it seems rather odd that, of more than 

 a hundred thousand Stizostedion handled over a period of ten years 

 at the Wolf Lake spawning station on the Mississippi near Bemidji, 

 Minnesota, not a single example of this species was noted. Cox reported 

 it also from Big Gull Lake and a tributary stream. It is more or less 

 common in the Mississippi from Hastings southward, in the Minnesota 

 River, and in the St. Croix River and even in its tributaries in Pine 

 County, Minnesota. Evermann and Latimer (1910) reported it as not 

 common in the Rainy River. It is very abundant in Lake of the Woods 

 and Lake Kabetogama. 



The catch of saugers in the commercial fisheries at Lake of the 

 Woods is combined with that of walleyes, and all are sold as yellow 

 pike. The sauger is an excellent food fish and is valued highly by sports- 

 men in the several places where it is at all abundant. It feeds almost 

 exclusively on aquatic insects and small fishes. Very little is known 

 about its spawning habits, but they are probably the same as those of 

 the walleye. 



WALLEYE (Yellow Pikeperch, Yellow Pike, called Pickerel 

 in Ontario, 0-gah of the Red Lake Chippewas) 



Stizostedion vitreum vitreum (Mitchill) 



The walleye (Figure 39) , commonly called walleyed pike in Minne- 

 sota, pickerel in Canada, and pikeperch in the eastern states, varies 



