344 REPORT OP COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



the trout and Catostomus commersonii. The water is clear and pure; 

 the bottom is of sand and gravel. Though this stream is scarcely 

 more than a mile long, it is so well suited to trout that it affords 

 excellent trout fishing and large catches are made in it every season. 



Dakota or James River rises near the central part of North Dakota 

 and flows a little southeast until it empties into the Missouri Eiver on 

 the southeastern boundary of South Dakota. The country through 

 which it flows is comparatively level prairie, hence the course of the 

 river, while in general straight, has very many crooks and bends which 

 make it many times longer than it would otherwise be. The current 

 is sluggish and as a result the water becomes somewhat stagnant 

 in summer and contains much aquatic vegetation and lower forms of 

 aquatic life peculiar to such conditions. On account of the loose 

 prairie soil through which the river flows, the water is muddy, even 

 when only slightly disturbed. 



The tributaries to the Dakota Eiver are small and short, consequently 

 the region drained, while long from north to south, is not wide. 



We examined the Dakota Paver at Mitchell, S. Dak., about 80 miles 

 from its mouth, where we found it 110 feet wide and averaging 6^ feet 

 in depth, with a current having a velocity of 1 foot per second, thus 

 discharging about 300,000 gallons per minute. Owing to rains in the 

 Dakota Valley a few days previous to our examination, the water was 

 probably 1 foot higher than usual at this time of year, June 19. The 

 temperature at this time was 74°. The nature of the stream shows at 

 once its suitability for suckers, catfish, sunfish, and yellow perch, which 

 is further proved by our taking numerous specimens of each, either in 

 the river itself or from the mouths of creeks which empty into the 

 river. The banks of the stream are covered with low shrubs and a few 

 trees, principally ash. 



Bode Creek flows from the northeast and enters the Dakota Eiver 

 near Mitchell. It averages 30 feet wide and 2£ feet deep, although it 

 is very irregular, being made up apparently of a series of holes con- 

 nected by a small stream of running water, probably formed partly by 

 erosion and partly by glacial action. The same may be said of Enemy 

 and Eiresteel creeks. We examined Eock Creek near its mouth, where 

 the banks are covered with small bushes, principally ash and willow, 

 and took specimens of pike (Lucius lucius), yellow perch, sunfish, cat- 

 fish, darters, and a few minnows. The water was clear, and contained 

 so much algae that seining was difficult in places. Much of the bottom 

 was covered with bowlders. Crawfish, frogs, and toads were abundant. 



Firesteel Creel: flows from the northwest and empties into the Dakota 

 Eiver about 2 miles below the mouth of Eock Creek. It is, like that 

 creek, tortuous and sluggish, and is about 30 feet wide, 4 feet deep, 

 and has a current of £ foot per second. The temperature was 79°. The 

 bottom was covered with mud, the water contained much alga} and 

 other aquatic vegetation, and about the same species of fish were taken 

 here as in Eock Creek. 



