158 Conservation Department '4 



Tliis classification is, of course, merely approximate. In many j 

 cases there is considerable variation in the spawning place. For '■, 

 example, not all individuals of the trout-perch go to the riffles of \ 

 streams to spawn, judging by the numerous specimens in spawning • 

 condition that were found at gravel areas along the lake shore. j 



Extensive collections were made of young fish, that is, those 

 that are in their first season, being less than one year old. These 1 

 may be classed according to the same outline used for spawning ' 

 areas : . 



(1) Those found in the riffles of streams: None. Most of the '. 

 young hatching from eggs laid in such places probably find their ■■ 

 way downstream to a more sheltered environment. In the case of : 

 several species, notably the common sucker, at least some of the : 

 young remain well up the creeks. The young of the trout-perch 1 

 apparently go out into the open lake. 



(2) Those which are in the ocean, later ascending to fresh 

 water: The eel. 



(3) Those which are found in sheltered areas as mentioned 

 under group 3 of spawning fish : Common sucker, red-fin suckers 

 (at least 3 of the 4 species), spot-tailed minnow, gar, buffalo mul- 

 let, carp, goldfish, Notropis deliciosus, golden shiner, blunt-nosed 

 minnow, catfish (2 species), bullheads (2 species), northern pike, 

 muskalonge, killifish, white bass, yellow perch, yellow pike, johnny 

 darter, Iowa darter, black bass (2 species), common sunfish, rock 

 bass, crappie, sheepshead, stonecat, Notropis atherinoides (in part, 

 at least), trout-perch (rarely), sculpin {Coitus h. kiDulieni). 

 There are probabh^ others that should be grouped here but are 

 omitted for lack of definite records. 



(4) Those w4iich are pelagic, living in open waters of the lake: 

 Herring, whitefish, lake trout,^ and others.^ 



This classification is, again, quite approximate. It is based 

 upon scant evidence in the case of a few species whose young were 

 collected in very limited numbers, but in the case of most species 

 specimens were common enough to support this grouping. Un- 

 fortunately, the various sizes of young fish cannot be here recorded 

 in full. However, notes on sizes of young found are included in 

 the annotated list for a good proportion of the species. 



Collecting demonstrated that the most important centers for the 

 production and rearing of young of the large group of fish that 

 are found in sheltered areas (group 3) were: The upper Niagara 

 river, areas at the mouth of Cattaraugus, Eighteenmile, Sister and 

 other creeks, Dunkirk harbor and sheltered bays along the lake 

 shore (limited in number). Weed beds'^ were pai'ticularly produc- 

 tive of young fish. Several species have young which seem (piite 

 dependent upon the dense shelter of weeds as is the case with the 



^ A fragment of evidence in re}i;arcl to the liahitat of young lake trout is here 

 recorded: The writer took a specimen 2 ,V inches long (total length) from Hemlock 

 lake, Sept. 19, 1920, at a point where the depth was 60 feet. 



' See page 1 00. 



' See pages 190 and 193. 



