128 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



VOL. 39. 



Yield of the sturgeon fishery of Lake of the Woods from 1888 to 1909 — Continued. 



Sounds given in pounds. Value figured as per prices paid to the fishermen at their fisheries. 



The shallow waters of Lake of the Woods are peculiarly adapted 

 to the habits of the sturgeon, which delights to frequent compara- 

 tively shoal water. Its food consists largely of crawfishes and the 

 smaller gasteropods, such as the thin-shelled Physa, the er[ually 

 fragile Plano7'his and VaJvata, and the more firm Limnsea and Mel- 

 antlio. Though primarily a bottom feeder, it by no means confines 

 its menu to the food found thereon; for small fishes constitute no 

 inconsiderable portion of its bill of fare. On August 9, 1894, Pro- 

 fessor Woolman examined the stomach contents of 55 sturgeon at 

 Garden Island, Lake of the Woods. Of these, 28 contained one or 

 more crawfish, 6 had insect larvse, 6 contained mollusks, and 22 were 

 empty. Among the miscellaneous objects found were a fish egg of 

 some sort in one, a fish vertebra in one, a hazelnut in another, and 

 gravel in eight. 



