REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 131 

 FISHES OF CHAUTAUQUA LAKE, NEW YORK. 



In September, 1901, this lake was visited by Prof. li. W. Evcrmann 

 for the purpose of deternnniii*^ its o-ciieral bioloj^icul features and the 

 variety and abundance of its tish fauna. A report" on this inquiry 

 gives an annotated list of 31 species of fishes known from the lake. 

 Although this lake is only 8 miles from Lake Erie, it is in the Ohio 

 River drainage basin, and its fish life partakes of the character of the 

 latter. Among the important species are bullhead {Ameiurus nebu- 

 losus), rock bass, blue sun-fish, large and small mouthed black bass, and 

 muskallunge. The last named is the leading fish, from the standpoint 

 of both angler and commercial fishermen. Although extensively 

 caught, its abundance appears to be maintained from .year to year as 

 a result of limited protection and artificial propagation by the State 

 authorities. It appears from this inv^estigation that the Chautauqua 

 Lake muskallunge is not identical with the muskallunge of the Great 

 Lakes {Esox nohilioi')^ as has generally been held, but is a distinct 

 species {Esox ohiensis) peculiar to the Ohio basin. The two gars or 

 bill-fish {Lepisostetis osseus and L. platostomus), worthless as food and 

 very destructive to other fish, were systematically destroj^ed by the 

 State Fish Commission for several years and their numbers much 

 reduced. 



FRESH-WATER FISHES OF LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK. 



During September and October, 1901, Dr. Tarleton H. Bean col- 

 lected and studied the fishes of Long Island, New York, in the interests 

 of the Commission, with headquarters on Great South Bay. Particu- 

 lar attention was given to the fresh-water species, which, while few in 

 number, are of considerable interest. 



The peculiar topographical features of Long Island are responsible 

 for the scarcity of fresh-water fishes. The total numljer of such fishes 

 known to occur in the streams and lakes is 27. One of these — a hybrid 

 trout — has been artificially produced; another, the black-nosed dace, is 

 of doubtful occurrence, and 13 others have recently been introduced. 

 The permanent residents in fresk water, as determined by Dr. Bean, 

 are horned pout, chub sucker, chain pickerel, killifish, pirate perch, 

 silverside, sun-fish, yellow perch, and darter, all of which could easily 

 have been introduced by man within the last century or two. 



Mitchill, in his Report on the Fishes of New York (1S14), mentions 

 only the j^ellow perch, brook trout, and pickerel as occurring on Long 

 Island. Mitchill, in 1790, transplanted yellow perch from Ronkou- 

 koma Pond to Success Pond, Queens County, a distance of 10 miles. 



FISHES OF LAKE MASHIPACONG, NEW JERSEY. 



Lake Mashipacong lies in the New Jersey mountains about 10 miles 

 south of Port Jervis, N. Y., and covers approximately 100 acres. In 



« Notes on the Fishes and Mollusks of Lake Chautauqua, New York. Report U. S. Fish Commis- 

 sion for 1901. 



