242 REPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



Lucius masquinongy (Mitchill). 



Muskallonge. 



JEsox masquhi07igy, Meek and Newland (i, '85, 373) ; E. nobilior, Jor- 

 dan and Gilbert, 1882, 8, 353 ; Jordan, 1884, 13, 464, pi. 184. 



This species attains a much greater size than any of the preceding. 

 Dr. Jordan gives the maximum size as eight feet in length. A specimen 

 six feet long will weigh about eighty pounds. 



In the muskallonge the lower half of both cheeks and opercles are 

 devoid of scales. There are from seventeen to nineteen branchiostegals. 

 Dorsal rays seventeen ; anal rays fifteen. The scales of the lateral line 

 amount to about one hundred and fifty. The color is a dark silvery gray, 

 and on this are scattered round blackish spots. 



This species inhabits the waters of our country from the Ohio River 

 northward, being more abundant in the lakes of the more northern 

 States and British America. In Indiana it is rare. Ohio River at 

 New Albany (1, '85, 374); Lake Michigan (U, I, 43, and 13, '77, 104). 



The great size attained by this fish makes it one of the important food- 

 fishes of the country, although it appears to be nowhere abundant. 

 Being of active nature and of great size, it tests the skill of the sportsman 

 who has been fortunate enough to have it attach itself to his hook. Its 

 flesh is usually regarded as equal to that of any of the most esteemed 

 fishes. "The meat is almost as white as snow, fine-grained, nicely lami- 

 nated, and the flavor is perfect." Hallock says that it is a long, slim, 

 strong and swift fish, in everything formed for the life it leads — that of a 

 fierce and dauntless marauder. 



Roosevelt ("Game Fishes") expresses a poor opinion of all the mem- 

 bers of the genus Xttciws. '"They are dull sport in the catching and 

 poor food in the eating. Believe no one who boasts of the fine flavor of 

 the muskallonge ; cook him as you will, he is nothing but a dirty, flabby, 

 tasteless pickerel." The same author mentions the common carp^ 

 {Cyprinus carpio) as being a delicate fish, but not equal to the "Western 

 carp," some of our suckers, probably. 



Professor Forbes has investigated the food-habits of this species. It 

 consists almost wholly of other fishes, such as sun-fish, black bass, crop- 

 pies, gizzard shad and buffalo-fishes. One was discovered to have eaten 

 the larvae of dragon-flies. 



The spawn is deposited in April and May. One large female yielded 

 sixty thousand eggs (^25, 94). 



