106 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



water, after heavy rains, to find its way at once into the large creeks and rivers. 

 Thus the water in the streams is muddier than formerly; in wet weather is deeper, 

 and in dry weather is more shallow. These features, together with the fact that 

 the rivers are becoming, to some extent, the sewers for the large cities, is a proba- 

 ble cause for a dimunition of some of the food fishes. 



The natural features of the Cedar river make it an excellent stream for fishes, 

 and it is sure to be many years before angling will cease to be an enjoyable and 

 profitable pastime for those who are fortunate enough to reside along its banks. 

 To all such I will say, you have in the Cedar a beautiful stream, and in it are some 

 excellent game and food fishes. Protect your stream as far as possible from 

 pollution, and protect your fishes from wholesale slaughter by the use of dynamite 

 or any other barbarous methods used for their capture, and you will be amply 

 rewarded. 



During my four years' residence in Cedar Rapids as a teacher in Coe College, I 

 utilized some spare time in making a study of the fish fauna of the State. The 

 result of my studies is being published in the present bulletin of the United States 

 Fish Commission. The larger share of the work done in the Cedar basin was 

 under the direction and by the aid of the United States Fish Commission. I wish 

 to acknowledge the services of my students who, from time to time, assisted me 

 in making collections near Cedar Rapids, of which Mr. W. T. Jackson and Mr. E. 

 P. Boynton and Mr. B. Bailey, deserve especial mention. I was also assisted by 

 Prof. P. B. Burnet, of Lincoln, Nebraska, in making most of the ftollections from 

 the upper part of the river basm. 



I have given, in foot notes, oth(!r species not found in Cedar Basin, but which 

 belong to the Iowa tauna. 



This makes the paper also serve as a preliminary catalogue of the fishes of Iowa. 

 No doubt other forms will be added when a more thorough survey of the State is 



The Cedar river and its tributaries were examined as follows: 

 The Cedar river at West Liberty, Mt. Vernon, Cedar Rapids, Palo, Waverly and 

 Austin (Minnesota.) 



Turtle river and Rose creek, "Austin (Minnesota.) 



West Fork and Hartgraves creek at Dumont. 



Shell Rock river and Quarter Section Run, near Waverly. 



Dry creek, near Palo. 



Prairie creek, near Beverly. 



Indian creek, near Marion. 



♦Excellent food fishes. 



(Good food fishes. 



—Poor foodnflshes. 



tVery good food for larger.fishes. 



Those unmarked are of little or no economic value. 



ORDER I, HYPEROAKTIA. 

 FAMILY 1, PETROMYZONTID^ (THE LAMPREYS.) 



1. Ammocoetes branchialis (Linnseus). Mud Lamprey. This small lamprey 

 ascends clear brooks in the spring for the purpose of spawning, during which time 

 large numbers can easily be captured. At Cedar Rapids they spawn about the 

 middle of April, the season lasting about two weeks. They are seldom taken ex- 

 cept during this season. The species is small, specimens seldom reaching a length 

 of more than Q% inches. It would be an easy matter to destroy large numbers of 



