Here they spawn and die. When first hatched the small eels are known as lep- 

 tocephali shaped in the manner of a leaf and transparent. These larval eels 

 reach the coast of United States in autumn of their first year, attain their full 

 larval development that winter and are ready to move up the rivers in the 

 spring as elvers. 



The eel has earned the reputation of being the most voracious of all flesh- 

 eating fishes. Females commonly reach a length of three or four feet and occa- 

 sional large ones are taken six feet in length. The males average smaller. 



KILLIFISH FAMILY (Cyprinodontidae) 

 EASTERN BANDED KILLIFISH 



Fundulus diafhanus diaphanus (LeSueur) 



The range of the fresh-water killifish extends along the eastern coast of 

 United States from South Carolina north to the Maritime Provinces and into the 

 eastern parts of Pennsylvania and New York. Fishermen frequently refer to 

 this fish as a minnow but the teeth on the jaws serve to distinguish it from the 

 minnow family. It is a typical lake fish found mostly in the shallow areas. In 

 Maine it is accepted as the most abundant small fish in the shoal areas of the 

 lakes where it may be encountered in large schools. Killifish may be found in 

 quiet rivers. 



The peak of their spawning comes towards the end of July. During the 

 spawning period the males take on a bright coloration. Schools of these fish may 

 be observed swimming back and forth in shallow water. They appear to prefer 

 aquatic vegetation in the spawning area. No nest or care of the young is prac- 

 ticed by the adults. 



Since the killifish rarely strays into water much over a foot the fish that 

 may prey on them are narrowed to the young of game fishes who frequent the 

 shallows in search of food. 



COD FAMILY (Gadidae) 

 BURBOT 



Lota lota maculosa (LeSueur) 



The burbot, sole representative of this marine family found in fresh water, 

 can be easily distinguished from other fishes in Maine and in fact all fresh-water 

 fishes by the single, prominent barbel on the underside of the chin near its tip. 

 Distribution extends from Labrador south to the southern New England states. 

 Great Lakes Basin and westward to the Missouri River basin, and the Columbia 

 River. It is commonly found in deep, cool lakes in association with the lake 

 trout and occasionally in cool streams in the rifile areas when young and in deep 

 pools as adults. 



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