136 Illinois State Lahoratonj of Natural History. 



er. Most of the remaining river fishes had, I think, been 

 spawned on the flooded bottoms. Tlie abundant young of 

 gars, builalo, carp, hickory shad, pike perch, and white bass in 

 the temporary pools are evidence of this. 



Family Sci^.nidte. 

 Sheepshead, White Perch, (Aplodinotus grunniens, Raf.) 



The young of this fish, varying from 2.50 inches to 4.50 

 inches in length, were frequent in most of the sloughs and 

 lakes. These are, in all probability, the young of the season. 

 If smaller ones existed in the sloughs, they would certainly have 

 been captured in the seine used by the Fish Commission (a 

 quarter-inch mesh). This species was more abundant inside 

 the levee than in the pools on the lower part of the bottom- 

 land, and was especially common in inlets along the lower part 

 of Bear Creek and in toose Lake. On a small sand bar in Bear 

 Creek, at the mouth of Harkness Slough, more were taken than 

 at any other one place. No specimens longer than 4.50 inches 

 were taken from the sloughs and pools, so far as I know. In 

 the bay and river, large ones were very common; and probably 

 half of the fishes taken during August with hook-and-line 

 from barges and river banks were of this species. It seems 

 quite at home in the swiftest current of the river, and was 

 caught with minnow bait from banks upon which the current 

 strikes with a force which it would seem no animal could with- 

 stand. The largest example seen would have weighed about 

 one pound. The local name for the fish is perch; and it is con- 

 sidered one of the best of food fishes. 



Localities: Ballard Slough, Ilarkness Slough, Bear Creek, 

 Goose Lake, (Juincy Bay, ('hius Lake, Willow Slough, Lily 

 Lake,- Broad Lake, Wood Slough, Mississippi River. 



Family SERRANiDiE. 



Striped Bass, Yellow Bass {Morone inter rnpta^ Gill), 



Youjig were frequent in certain of the sloughs and lakes, 

 but were not seen elsewhere. In the northern jiart of 

 Broad Lake and in small isolated pools above it, they were 

 quite common. Examples preserved vary from 1.75 inch to 

 4,50 inches in length. 



