16 ' MARINE AND FISHERIES 



5 GEORGE v., A. 1915 

 Genus Catostomus. 



Represented by two species, as follows: — 



a. Scales small, those in the lateral line 102 to 117. Snout elongated, conical, project- 

 ing considerably beyond the mouth catostomus 



aa. Scales larger, those in lateral line 64 to 72. Snout blunt, not projecting greatly 

 beyond the mouth commersonii 



A third species, described, but perhaps wrongly, as a fine-scaled sucker is 

 thought to occur, but no specimens have been taken. 



Catostomus catostomus, Forster. 



(Long-nosed sucker. Red sucker) 



Commonly taken in gill-nets in deep water and in the pound-nets on the north 

 shore. Rather infrequent inshore in the southern part of the bay. Of the young 

 suckers common in the shore swamps all identified belong to the next species, 

 but a few specimens of the present species have been taken in shallow water near 

 the Giant's Tomb Island. 



Length 18 inches. Body moderately elongated, rounded. Depth 4'2 to 

 4*9. Head rather broad and rounded behind, tapering forwards into the slender 

 conical snout. Length of head 3*7 to 4-2. Eye 6-2 to 8-2. Mouth inferior, 

 with thick papillose lips. Coloration uniformly dark brownish or blackish above, 

 light below. Sides with a reddish stripe, showing only in a few of the summer 

 specimens, but present in all males in spring. Dorsal fin with 10 or 11 rays. Anal 

 with 7 rays. Scales small, 18 to 21, 102 to 117, 12 to 17. 



In this region the fish is considered to be of no value, and is destroyed in large 

 numbers by the fishermen. 



Catostomus commersonii, Lac6p6de. 

 (Common sucker. White sucker) 



Commonly taken in the gill and pound-nets. The fish probably inhabits 

 the shallow water of shore bays, but is not seen inshore in numbers except during 

 the spring run into the rivers, and to a certain extent near shore on the spawning 

 beds of the rock-bass and small-mouthed black bass. Young specimens of from 

 2 to 5 inches in length are very commonly taken in the shore swamps, where 

 they sometimes make up a large proportion of the seine catches. 



Length 18 inches. Body rather thick and heavy forwards, moderately 

 compressed towards the tail. Depth 4 to 4 '6. Head heavy, rather broad, its 

 length 3*7 to 4*3. Snout short, squarish at tip. Mouth inferior, with strongly 

 papillose lips. Eye 6-3 to 8*2. Coloration grey olivaceous above, light below. 



