THE FISHES OF GEORGIAN BAY 19 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 39b 



and of destroying the wild celery of swamps frequented by ducks. It is also urged 

 against the fish that it is a kind not acceptable as a table fish to the people at large. 

 Such complaints, which are usually directed against the authorities responsible 

 for the introduction of the fish, have been carefully investigated by Cole ('05), 

 who finds on the whole in favor of the carp. There is no doubt that a great deal of 

 foolish prejudice exists against the carp, and it is probable that when the matter is 

 more fully understood, and especially when the necessity for a cheap class of fish 

 food has become imperative, as it doubtless will, the work of stocking American 

 waters will be more generally appreciated. 



The carp is now firmly established in Ontario waters, and is undoubtedly 

 there to remain, whatever attempts made be may to eradicate it. There is, how- 

 ever, no necessity for allowing it to increase at the present time, even in places 

 where its presence is more or less welcome. Undoubtedly in those areas where the 

 conservation of game fishes is in the general interest of the people, facilities should 

 be given to fishermen to take and market the fish, or if any damage is likely to be 

 done to smaller swamp-living fishes, to eggs of nesting fish, or to the swamp-bottoms 

 themselves, the work should be conducted by the authorities. Some discrimina- 

 tion is necessary in this matter, since there are many swamp areas which sportsmen 

 will continue to want to have recognized as game fish preserves when they are in 

 reality suitable for little else than carp or other coarse fishes. The method oi tak- 

 ing carp which is least objectionable from a biological standpoint on shores fre- 

 quented by game fish is the use of large-meshed gill-net, set in such a way that the 

 fish may be driven into it and the net immediately lifted. Advantage may be taken 

 of the larger girth of the carp, permitting other fishes to escape, and no damage is 

 done to the swamp bottoms or to their ordinary occupants. No operations of this 

 kind should be permitted during the time that the bass or other desirable fish 

 are on the nests if the preservation of these fish is the first consideration. It is 

 probable that in areas like the eastern arm of Matchedash Bay, and especially on 

 its northern side no damage worth mentioning would ensue to the game fishes if 

 carp were permitted to be taken in the manner described at any period of the year. 



The four genera of small Cyprinidae here recognized are separable as follows: 



a. Body deep and compressed, the depth contained less than 4 in the length (except 

 in young specimens). Abdomen compressed to a sharp edge behind the 

 ventral fins Abramis. 



aa. Body at most only moderately deep, more than 4 in the length. Abdomen behind 

 the ventral fins rounded: 



b. Maxilla with a small barbel at its posterior end Rhinichthys. 



bb. Maxilla without barbel. 



c. Intestine considerably longer than body Pimephales. 



cc. Intestine shorter than body Notropis. 



396—24 11 



