Article VIT. — Sfndies of ihe Food of Fresh-Water F'ishes* 

 By S. A. Forbes. 



FAMILY GADID^. 



Lota maculosa, Pennant. Burbot ; Lawyer. 



The cod family is represented in Illinois by only a single 

 species, the burbot {Lota juaadosa), occurring in the interior 

 of Lake Michigan, and making its way at irregular intervals to 

 the shallow waters within the reach of ordinary fishing opera- 

 tions. Since the opening of canals between the Great Lakes 

 and the river systems of the State, occasional specimens have 

 been taken in the Illinois and Mississippi.! 



Its predaceous character is too well known to make 

 special description of its alimentary structures necessary. It 

 is reported by Mr. G. Brown Goodeij; to feed upon various small 

 fishes and Crustacea which frequent the bottom, devouring more 

 particularly fishes with habits like its own. It is extremely 



* This article is to be considered as a continuation of the studies 

 reported in Volume I. of the Bulletin of the Illinois State Laboratory 

 of Xatnral History, Nos. 3 and 6, the first published in 1880, and the 

 second in 1883. 



The data here presented relate to the fishes of the State of Illinois, 

 and most of them to the lower families of the series. They are derived 

 from collections made by my assistants and myself in various parts of 

 the State at intervals from 1876 to 1887, for the special purpose of 

 ascertaining the principal characters of the food, and the feeding 

 liabits of the fishes of our native fauna. 



tl have seen a specimen taken from the Mississippi at Canton, 

 Mo., in 1887. and sent to Mr. S. P. Bartlett, one of the State Fish 

 Commissioners of Illinois. One occurred some years ago at Xaples, 

 on the Illinois River, and in a letter dated April 10, 188(5, Prof. J. 

 Lindahl, of Augustana College, Rock Island, says that three speci- 

 mens have been taken from the Mississippi River within his knowl- 

 edge, all small, the largest hardly a foot in length. 



X" The Fishery Industries of the United States." p. 2:W. 

 1 



