OBSERVATIONS ON SOME NEW BRUNSWICK FISHES. 41 



The fifth Cyprinid, heretofore reported only from the 

 southern part of the province, is the golden shiner {Notemi- 

 gonus chrysoleucus, Mitch.); but the writer has taken them 

 from some lakes drained by. the Miramichi. They are, as far 

 as he knows, confined to ponds and lakes, — at least such is 

 their distribution in New Brunswick. 



The sixth species, — Phoxinus neogceus, Cope — the writer 

 found in 1889. It does not seem to have been previously 

 observed east of Michigan where it is by no means common. 

 It is a small minnow, about three inches in length, frequent- 

 ing ponds and sluggish lowland brooks, shy, quick in move- 

 ment, and keeping itself generally concealed among grass and 

 weeds. 



Leaciscus argenteus of Perley's list must be dropped from 

 the catalogue of Cyprinids. It is but the young of Semotilus 

 corporalis, Mitch. 



Some years ago a not uncommon fish of the St. John and. 

 north-west Miramichi was the sturgeon {Acipenser sturio, 

 variety oxyrinchus), which found a congenial haunt and 

 plenty of food on the muddy bottoms of those rivers. In 

 contrast, however, with its migrations on the St. John, it 

 never ascended beyond the influence of the tidal waters on 

 the Miramichi, keeping well within the brackish portion of 

 tlie estuary, even to the extent of spawning there. It was 

 observed, too, that young fish varying from six to eighteen 

 inches in length passed the winter in the estuary where they 

 were often taken in considerable numbers in bass scoop-nets. 

 Large specimens, however, were never so caught, from which 

 it is inferred that on the approach of the cold season they 

 withdraw to the deeper bay, or, more likely, ocean waters. 

 Of late years it is rare. 



It is, indeed, singular that a fish so exceedingly prolific 

 for a single female produces three millions of eggs, and fairly 

 well protected by means of bony plates, should be so easily 

 and rapidly reduced in numbers, as was the case lately on the 

 river St. John, where by no means excessive fishing almost 

 depleted those waters in three or four years. The drain bore 



