44 MARINE AND FISHERIES 



5 GEORGE v., A. 1915 



The habits of the fish and the methods employed in its capture in Georgian Bay 

 have been recently described by Loudon ('10). In the southern part of the bay 

 the bass is taken only by natural baits, and by trolling with artificial lures, but 

 it is reported on good authority that on the north shore at McGregor Bay the 

 fish will rise to the artificial fly. There is probably no species which is more un- 

 certain of capture. Though at some times biting promptly and vigorously the 

 moment the bait is in the water, at other times it is wary, or refuses with 

 stolid indifference to respond with more than a lazy movement to anything put 

 before it. Places which on some occasions afford fish in abundance are at other 

 times abandoned. The fish tend to run in small groups and move about from 

 place to place, but apparently within comparatively small areas. During the 

 summer of 1909, one hundred fish were caught, marked with a metal tag, and 

 returned to the water. Seven of these were afterwards taken by different persons 

 who reported them. Those reported had been free for different periods from 4 

 to 30 days, but all were taken within a short distance of the place where they 

 were liberated. 



Family percid^, 

 (Perches) 



This family is represented in Georgian Bay waters by five genera, each with 

 one species. One species, the pickerel or dore (Stizostedion vitreum) is important 

 both as a commercial and a game fish, the others being insignificant. 



The genera are sepaiable on several technical differences, but the following 

 analysis will suffice for Georgian Bay species, 



a. Pseudob ranch gill structures on the underside of the opercle well developed; bran- 

 chiostegal rays 7; preopercular bone vnih. a spiny margin; 



b. Sharp canine teeth on jaws and palatines Stizostedion 



bb. No canine teeth Perca 



aa. Pseudobranchs small or absent; branchiostegal rays 6; preopercular bone with 

 its edge entire; 



c. Premaxillaries not protractile, connected with the skin of the forehead by 

 a median ridge; 



d. Head broad and flat between the eyes Percina 



dd. Head compressed and rounded between the eyes Etheostoma 



cc. Premaxillaries protractile, separated from the skin of the forehead by a 

 transverse groove Boleosoma 



Genus Stizostedion. 



The small blue pickerel, sauger, or sand pickerel {Stizostedion canadense), 

 though reported by some fishermen, has not been identified in Georgian Bay, 

 specimens taken for this species having proved in all cases to be small specimens 

 •oi the ordinary dor^. But one species is therefore described. 



