INVESTIGATIONS IN MINNESOTA AND NORTH DAKOTA. 369 



erel is seldom seen, aud the question naturally arises, What has become 

 of the fish? If the fish had been attacked by any disease that would 

 materially reduce the numbers dead fish would have been seen along 

 the shores and in the water, but none has ever been reported. It is 

 well known that the Avater of this lake is (]uite brackish, and it has 

 been thought that the rapid evaporation of the water had so increased 

 the percentage of mineral matter as to make it detrimental to fish 

 life. The stickleback {Eucalia inconstans), however, not only lives, but 

 increases in a manner quite marvelous. Almost every haul of the seine 

 would land hundreds of these small fish, the greater number of which 

 were very large and almost jet-black in color. In the long grass and 

 shore waters larva' and small crustaceans were very rare. It may be 

 that this stickleback, which eats the eggs of other species, has by this 

 habit brought about the great depletion of fish in these waters. 



ANNOTATED LIST OF FISHES OF THE RED RIVER OF THE NORTH AND ITS 



TRIBUTARIES. 



1. AmmoccBtes branchialis(Linnjeus). Mud Lamprey ; Brook Lamprey . Cheyenne 



River at Lisbon, 3 specimens; Red Lake River at Grand Forks, 2; Red 

 Lake River at Crookston, 1. Altlaough few of these parasites were taken, 

 a sufficient number of marks were found on fish to indicate that they were 

 numerous. Species of Catostomus and Moxostoma appear to suffer most froni 

 this animal; and, contrary to popuhir belief, it is seldom taken in sluggish 

 waters, but in clear, swift streams. In the Cheyenne River a lamprey and 

 its host were taken, the latter bearing marking that would indicate that it 

 had been the victim of several of these creatures. 



2. Lepisosteus osseus (Linnjeus). Gar Pike. Otter Tail River at Breckenridge, 



1 large specimen. Reported abundant in certain deep places in the river. 



3. Ameiurus nebulosiis (Le Sueur). Bullhead; Catfish. Otter Tail River at Breck- 



enridge, 3 specimens ; Red River of the North at Moorhead, rare ; Cheyenne 

 River at Lisbon, 5; Cheyenne River at Valley City, 4; Maple River at 

 Mapleton, abundant; Buffalo River at Hawley, common; Goose River 

 at llillsboro, common; Forest River at Minto, 4. This species was reported 

 abundant at almost every jilace where inquiry was made, especially at 

 stations on the Red River of the North, though comparatively few specimens 

 were observed in the quiet waters and lagoons above the dam in Buffalo 

 River at Hawley. A large specimen weighing about 15 ^lounds was taken 

 from the Otter Tail River at Breckenridge. 



4. Ameiurus nielas (Rafinesque). Cheyenne River at Valley City, 4 specimens; 



Maple River at Mapleton, common; Goose River at Hillsboro, 12. The last- 

 named station was the only locality where this species was common. From 

 this stream 12 adults and a large number of young were taken. 



5. Noturus gyrinus (Mitchill). Maple River at Mapleton, 3 specimens; Cheyenne 



River at Valley City, 10; Goose River at Hillsboro, 55; Red River of the 

 North at Grand Forks, 4. These specimens were nearly all small; those 

 from Goose River averaged 2^ inches in length. 



6. IctalUnas punctatus (Rafinesque). Blue Cat ; Channel Cat. Otter Tail River at 



Breckenridge, 1 specimen; Red River of the North at Uoorhead, common; 

 Red River of the North at Grand Forks, 4; Red Lake River at Grand Forks, 

 common; Red Lake River at Crookstcm, 5. 



7. Catostomus teres (Mitchill). Black Sucker; Common Sucker; Fine-scaled Sucker. 



Cheyenne River at Lisbon, abundant; Cheyenne River at Valley City, 

 F. R. 93 24 



