Biological Survey — Erie-Niagara Watershed 167 



sheltered bays, mouths of creeks, or weed beds. Generally considered harmful 

 as it feeds on fish, but is not common enough to do serious, if any, damage 

 in the region surveyed. Young ranging in size from l^'''^ to 3% inches were 

 seined in weed beds at the east side of the Niagara river, near Tonawanda, 

 on July 27. 



Amiidae Botcfins 



9. Amia calva Linnaeus.* — Bowfin, dogfish. Rare. Recorded from Lake 

 Erie by Dymond. 



HiODONTTOAE Mooixeyes 



10. Hiodon tergisus Le Sueur, — Mooneye, toothed herring. Common in Lake 

 Erie. Small schools were found, close inshore, at many points along the lake 

 shore and in creek mouths. No commercial value, at present, in the eastern 

 part of the lake, but of minor commercial importance at the western end 

 of the lake where greater number are taken. 



Clupbidae Herrings 



11. Pomolohus chi-ysorhlorus Rafinesque.* — Golden shad, skipjack. Rare. 

 This species has entered Lake Erie through canals, according to Jordan and 

 Evermann.i 



12. Pomolohus psei(do-harcngus (Wilson). — Sawbelly,^ alewife, Seth Green 

 shad. Common in Lake Ontario and enters the mouth of the Niagara river 

 every year in large numbers according to fishermen at Youngstown. 



13. Dorosoma cepedianum (Le Sueur).* — Gizzard shad, sawbelly. Rare. 

 Koeltz'' lists this species as one of commercial insignificance in Lake Erie, 

 It is believed to have entered the lake by canal connections. 



CoREGONiDAE Whitcflshes 



14-a. Leucichfhys arfedi artedi (Le Sueur). — Lake herring, cisco. Com- 

 mon. This and the next subspecies^ are very important commercial fish in 

 Lake Erie. In New York ])oundaries they are usually taken by bull nets, 

 which are twice the depth of ordinary nets and are rigged so that they may 

 be set off the bottom, at any level that proves best. Herring are usually 

 found in the deep, cold water during the summer. The catch has been 

 decreasing due in a large measure, it seems likely, to heavy fishing in the 

 fall when the species spawns. 



14-b. Lencichthys artedi alhus (Le Sueur). — Lake herring, cisco. (Plate 

 1.) Common. From o1)servations of Mr. C. W. Greene at Dunkirk, during 

 the summer of 1928, this subs])ecies was more common in catches than the 

 preceding one which it resembles. 



1.1. Coregonus clupeaformis (Mitchill). — \Vhitefish. (Plate 2.) Common 

 in Lake Erie. In summer, it is found in the deep, cold water. This is the 

 choice commercial fish of the lake, but is less important than the herring 

 due to its fewer numbers. Very few were taken in New York waters during 

 the period of the survey. The total catch in Lake Erie is less valuable now 

 than the catch of the common sucker in this lake. 



Salmoxidae Trout s 



16. Salnio fario Linnaeus. — Brown trout, German brown trout. Common 

 in a few streams. A very popular anglers' fish. More streams are suitable 

 for it than for the brook trout on account of its tolerance of a higher 

 temperature.5 



1 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum (1896). 



2 Illustrated in Oswego Survey Report, 1927. 



3 Appendix XI to the Report of the II. S. Commissioner of Fisheries, 1925. 



* In regard to nomenclature we follow Koeltz, who has made a thorough study 

 of the whitefishes and lake herrings, including their migrations and local races. His 

 Monograph of the Great Lakes Coregonidae is now in press. 



^ Oswego Survey Report, 1927, p. 27. 



