REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 103 



A previous acquaintance with the general hydrographic features of 



the four States made it possible to restrict the investigations mainly 

 to certain areas in each, outside of which it was evident that little 

 information could be gained that would be of material advantage in 

 reaching the desired results. Most attention was therefore given to the 

 northeastern part of Iowa, the northern and central parts of Nebraska, 

 the southeastern part of South Dakota, and the eastern part of 

 Wyoming, including the Black Hills region in tin 1 , two States last 

 mentioned. 



According to Professor Evermann's report, 1 there is no State west 

 of the Mississippi which has a greater number of excellent lish streams 

 than Iowa. Upon the first settlement of the country these numerous 

 streams teemed with many of the most valuable river fishes, including 

 both species of black bass, the wall-eyed pike, pickerel, white bass, 

 fresh-water drum, channel cat, mud cat, aud several species of suckers 

 and sunfishes; while trout were abundant in the clear, cold streams 

 in the northeast part of the State. Many of the streams are still well 

 supplied with these species, and under proper regulations the rivers 

 and lakes of Iowa can be made to yield annually an enormous amount 

 of valuable and nutritious food-supply to the people of that State. 



While the Platte and some other rivers of Nebraska are shallow and 

 filled with shifting sands, there are many deep and important streams 

 iu which valued food and game fishes abound. The collections made 

 show that this State is not inferior to neighboring States in the variety 

 and abundance of its fish life. Among the food-fishes of most impor- 

 tance are the channel cat, mud cat, buffalo, several species of suckers, 

 sturgeon, the large-mouthed black bass, the wall-eyed pike, and the 

 Sanger. In the small lakes in the northern part of the State and in 

 some of the streams the large-mouthed black bass is abundant, and 

 in some of the colder streams, particularly at Long Pine and Bazile 

 Mills, trout were quite plentiful, the plants having been made by the 

 Nebraska Fish Commission. 



South Dakota does not differ greatly from Nebraska in its streams 

 and the fishes which they contain. The larger streams in the eastern 

 part of the State and the numerous lakes in the eastern and north- 

 eastern portions are well supplied with valuable food-fishes and the 

 amount taken annually from these Maters is of no small importance to 

 the people of that State. The half of the State lying west of the Mis- 

 souri River is but poorly supplied with permanent streams, and many 

 of these are more or less alkaline, and in consequence not inhabited by 

 many species of food-fishes. The numerous species of spiny-rayed 

 fishes, among which are found nearly all of the better game fishes of 

 the Mississippi Valley, are scarcely represented at all in the waters of 

 this State west of the Missouri. The few species there which possess 

 any food value are three species of catfish, a few suckers, and one or 



'The Fishes of the Missouri River Basin, by Barton W. Evermaun, ichthyologist 

 of tin- U. S. Fish Commission, and Ulysses < ! Cox, professor of biology in the Man- 

 kato, Minn., State Normal School. Report U.S. Fish Com. 1894, pp. 325-429. 



