84 



DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVAL SERVICE 



8 GEORGE V, A. 1918 



but most ripe ones are found from April to July. In my survey in August I found 

 quite a number of gravid luteolas but none that on microscopic examination proved 

 to be ripe. This early and extended spawning period would be favourable to success- 

 ful shipping, before the warm weather comes on. The fish that may serve as carriers 

 belong mainly to the families Centrarchidse and Percidae. The species are : P. sparoides 

 (speckled bass) ; P. annularis (crappie) ; L. pallidus (blue sunfish) ; M. salmoides 

 (large-mouthed black bass) ; M. dolomieu (small-mouthed black bass) ; S. vitreum 

 (yellow pickerel) ; S. Canadense (sand pickerel) ; P.flavescens (yellow perch) and R. 

 chrysops (white bass), all well represented in our waters. 



Since the artificial propagation of this mussel is past the experimental stage, I 

 did not consider it advisable to repeat the operation here, on my return from Fairport, 

 particularly as my time v/as limited and as the localities visited did not appear very 

 favourable. It was kindly suggested at Fairport that gravid mussels be shipped over 

 here for infecting purposes. 



Lampsilis recta, though not found plentifully in the Grand river, is a very valu- 

 able shell on account of its fine quality. Mr. Southall reported it to be of large size, 

 without discolouration, firm and of first grade, making 369, 16 — line and 470, 24 — line 

 gross blanks per ton. Although the usual run of this species is coloured, those from 

 the Dunnville area seem to be of fine quality. There are, however, some shells 

 which show discoloration. In the fiscal year 1916, 11,288,300 larval mussels of this 

 species were planted at Fairport. The fish which may serve as hosts for artificial 

 propagation are: L. pallidus (blue sunfish) and A. cyanellus (green sunfish). The 

 former of these species occurs abundantly in some parts of lake Ontario and lake 

 Erie and their tributaries, but the latter has not been reported from Ontario, although 

 it is supposed that it will be found in lake Erie. P. annularis (crappie, also called 

 silver bass) has been found naturally infected with this mussel, but it is rare in our 

 waters.^ 



The spawning period of this mussel is similar to that of Lampsilis luteola and 

 the river appears to be adapted to this species. The shellers at Dunnville seem to prize 

 this shell above all others. 



Lampsilis ventricosa. — This shell is not used very extensively in button manufac- 

 ture, but it is worked up into novelties. Large shells, however, make buttons of good 

 lustre. Last year 447,000 glochidia were used for infection at Fairport. The species 

 of fish that may serve as hosts in artificial propagation are: P. annularis, L. pallidus, 

 and M. salmoides (large-mouthed black bass). At present it would not appear to be 

 essential to increase the stock of this shell. 



The Quadrula group is well represented in the Grand, but only two species appear 

 in large quantities — Q. plicata and Q. undulata. These constitute at present our 

 chief button shells, and the Canadian Pearl Button Company, of Trenton, Ont., which 

 has the sole right to the Dunnville fishery at present, reports that the shells from the 

 Grand compare favourably with those shipped to their plant from the United States. 

 In the commercial appraisal of these two species from the Grand, the report is as 

 follows :— 



1 Manual of Vertebrates of Ontario, by C. W. Nash, has been consulted for fish distribution 

 in our waters. 



2 The plicata from Mud Creek, near Port Franks, were evidently grouped with those of the 

 Grand river, for there is but a single report. 



