47 



Anothei' curious fish, the Burbot, Methy, Dogfish, Ling or Eelpout 

 [Lota maculosa) is found in the bays of the Ottawa, but whether it 

 frequents the river itself I cannot say. I am inclined to think not, as 

 it delights in muddy bottoms and still waters. It is very voracious and 

 destructive to other fish. The candal fin of these fish is almost like a 

 membranous continuation of its body, and with its anguilliform appear- 

 ance seems to connect other fish with the eel. It attains 2 feet in 

 length. A smaller variety, the lesser burbot, is also found 

 here, but not so abundant, and the only specimen I have come across 

 was a dead one in the lagoon near the mouth of the Lievres. 



Eels are abundant, and the common sharpnosed or {Anguilla JRos- 

 trata) silver eel, so called when taken in running water when it is of a 

 brighter coloui-, is the only known s])ecies here. 



Two kinds of Sturgeon frequent the Ottawa, the Lake Sturgeon 

 {Accipenser Riihicandus) which ascends the river from its wide lakelike 

 expanses, and the sharp nosed or rock Sturgeon [Sturio oxyrhynchus) not 

 so abundant. The bones of these fish are cartilaginous, the back bone, 

 or what would be in another fish the back bone, being a long piece of 

 gristle. The body is studded with rough bony radiated plates and 

 serrated, so that if entangled in a net they are very destructive to its 

 meshes. The flesh of the sturgeon is not appreciated as it should be, as 

 properly cooked it is excellent. Formerly it was called in England the 

 royal fish. 



TheLamprey orLamper Eel ( Tcthyomyzon Argenteus) resembles moi'e 

 in habits the leech, and is a repulsive looking fish in every respect. It 

 has a circular cartilaginous mouth and seven branchial apertures or 

 small round openings on each side of the neck running obliquely from 

 the eyes, in the place of gills. Attaching itself to other fish it draws 

 its nourishment from them by suction, the mouth and tongue — the latter 

 in the throat — acting like the piston of a pump. Dead fish are fre- 

 quently found with circular wounds on their sides, giving evidence of 

 the cause of death. I think it is not very abundant here, but I have 

 seen it both in the Rideau, Gatineau, the Lievres, and streams running 

 into these rivers. A smaller species, the Mud Lamprey {retromyzon 

 I^igricans) with a cylindrical body compressed at the tail and with 

 sides of an annular or ribbed appeai^ance, might almost be taken for a 



