FISHES OF THE MISSOURI RIVER BASIN. 385 



3. Lampetra wilderi Gage. Brook Lamprey. Wild Cat Creek, near Manhattan (as 



Ammoecetus niger, Graham, 1885) ; Kansas River at Lawrence (Cragin, 1885a). 



4. Polyodon spathula (Walbanin). Spoonbill Cat; Paddle-Jish. Fort Pierre, Nebr. 



(as P. folium, Girard, 1858); St. Mary River (Jordan, 1878); Kansas River 

 (Graham, 1885); Kansas River at Lawrence (Cragin, 1885a); Missouri River, 

 Harrison County, Iowa (Meek, 1891). 



A largo male fish of this species was caught in White River, at the ford 12 

 miles from Chamberlain, S. Dak., June 24. Total length, 4 feet 5 inches; 

 length to base of caudal tin, 3 feet 10 inches; tip of paddle to edge of gill 

 flap, 2 feet 7 inches; to origin of dorsal fin, 2 feet 10* inches; stretch of 

 caudal fin, 1 foot; weight, 18 pounds. 



The water was not over 18 inches deep where this fish was caught. Tins 

 species has not hitherto been reported from any point so far west, but it 

 is probably not uncommon in the Missouri and its large tributaries even 

 farther west than this place. Mr. Walker, who lives near the mouth of 

 White River, says the spoonbill cat is occasionally seen there in the spring, 

 and that one was taken near this same place, about the 1st of June of this 

 year, which was about 5 feet long. 



While this curious and interesting fish is probably common in all the 

 larger streams and bayous of the Mississippi Valley, especially in the lowland 

 waters, it is very rarely caught or seen. During several years collecting 

 in the Mississippi Valley, we have taken not more than 6 or 8 examples, 

 all of which Avere rather large, the smallest being at least 15 inches long. 

 Special search for the young has been made by us in the ponds and bayous 

 along the lower Wabash River, but without finding any. Prof. Harrison 

 Garman, who has made a careful study of the fauna of the waters of the Mis- 

 sissippi bottoms near Quincy, 111., took but a single example, which was about 

 14 inches long. ''The adults," he says, "are common in the Mississippi 

 River, where they were occasionally seen leaping about the water. " 



5. Acipenser rubicundus Le Sueur. Bed Sturgeon; Common Sturgeon. Upper Mis- 



souri River (as Acipenser copei type, Dumeril, 1870) ; Osage River (as Acipenser 

 rauchi type, Dumeril, 1870) ; and Missouri River (as Acipenser anasimos type, 

 Duineril, 1870) ; Kansas River (Graham, 1885) ; Kansas River at Lawrence 

 (Cragin, 1885a). 



Not seen by us, but Mr. Walker informs us that sturgeon are often taken 

 in White and Missouri rivers, near Chamberlain, in the spring, and we have 

 learned from others that this species is of considerable importance as a food- 

 fish in this portion of the Missouri River. In the vicinity of Yankton 

 considerable numbers were formerly caught, but the fish is less abundant 

 during the last few yeai's. 



6. Scaphirhynchus platorynchus (Rafinesque). Shovel-nose Sturgeon. Missouri 



River (Girard, 1858) ; Missouri River, at Fort Buford, N. Dak. (Jordan, 1878) ; 

 Missouri River, at Fort Benton (Cope, 1879); "Common over the State of 

 Kansas" (Graham, 1885); Kansas River at Lawrence and Topeka (Cragin, 

 1885a) ; Missouri River, Iowa (Meek, 1892). 



Specimens of this species were obtained from North Platte River at Cas- 

 per and Douglas. The single specimen in the collection from Casper is 18 

 inches long. At Douglas numerous specimens were taken, the largest being 

 about 2 feet long. Armed plates before the dorsal, 16; lateral plates, 42. 

 A very small specimen from North Platte, at Grand Island, measures 4f 

 inches in total length. Smaller individuals than this are not often taken in 

 miscellaneous collecting. While at Creighton we were told of the capture 

 of a shovel-nosed sturgeon 2 feet long in Bazile Creek, 15 miles from that 

 place, a few weeks before our visit. 



F . r. 94 25 



