INVESTIGATIONS IN MINNESOTA AND NORTH DAKOTA. 363 



tiuues iu that direction for about oO miles, until it Joins the Eed River 

 of the North. The country around Lisbon is drift, somewhat eroded 

 and broken. The stream here is about 35 feet deep 5 its bed is sand 

 and gravel. In the ponds or quiet water the bed is of fine sand, but 

 at the ripples it is of stones and coarse gravel. The stream is very- 

 beautiful, and is almost one succession of ripples of clear water. There 

 was but little vegetation in the water. A few pond weeds were observed 

 in the more (piiet waters, and the larger stones in the ripi^les were cov- 

 ered with a short crisp moss. Fishes of several si)ecies were numerous, 

 and hundreds were taken at a single haul of the 15-foot seine; min- 

 nows and darters were numerous. The stream was well stocked with 

 such food-fishes as pickerel, suckers, catfish, and rock bass. The writer 

 was assured that at the mill-pond 5 miles below Lisbon hundreds of 

 pounds offish could be taken with a hook, and that the fish frequently 

 stopped the mill by getting into the wheel. This statement was made 

 at other places. The stream is well shaded with trees that grow to the 

 very edge of the water, overhanging and effectually protecting it from 

 the sun in many places. 



Valley City, N. Dak., July 28. — Although this point is 40 miles nearer 

 the source than Lisbon, the stream is apparently much larger, being 

 deeper and broader. The river flows through a very beautiful valley, 

 a mile wide, that is densely covered iu many places with a growth of 

 small timber. The hills on either side of this valley rise to a height 

 of 100 to 150 feet, and in jilaces are quite abrupt. This water is excep- 

 tionally clear for a prairie stream, flowing for much of the distance 

 over clean sand and gravel. It is from 60 to 70 feet wide, and will 

 average at least 4 feet in depth. The banks are steep, and from 10 to 

 15 feet high from the water to the flood-pl3,in. No shallows or ripples 

 were found, but a ford or crossing is located 7 miles below Valley City. 

 The river was seined just below the milldam, where fish were found in 

 greater abundance than where it was examined at Lisbon. The 30-foot 

 seine was used, and possibly a thousand specimens were taken at every 

 draw. Among the more abundant species were Pimeplwles notatus, 

 Notropis megalops, Catostomus teres, Moxostoma macrolepidotum duquesnei, 

 Percopsis guttatus, and Etlieostoma aspro. 



This stream is an excellent one for fish on account of its natural 

 physical features and the abundance of food. Crawfish were abundant. 

 The long grass and other vegetation that grew iu tufts and patches 

 were filled with crustaceans and insect larvse. No contamination of 

 the waters was observed or reported. Two high dams unprovided with 

 fishways were the only bad features of the stream observed. 



Maple River, Mapleton, N. Dale, July 29. — This is only a small creek, 

 tributary to the Cheyenne River and lying wholly within or about the 

 western edge of the Red River Valley. The stream flows throughout 

 most of its course parallel with Cheyenne River. The upper course 

 flows south, then, making a sharj) turn to the northeast, flows toward 



