614 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



out of the water and yet remain under. They are reported as often 

 seen with their entire dorsal fins projecting above the water, and at this 

 time men have gone into the water and thrown the fish out with their 

 hands. 



Lake Washington was at one time much higher than at present, and 

 there was a large stream leading from it, and the buffaloes and suckers 

 would crowd into this outlet, and at one of the mills several wagon- 

 loads of large buffaloes were once taken. The following is a state- 

 ment from Mr. Wildes, who still lives in the region, concerning Lake 

 Washington : 



When I came to Minnesota, more than 35 years ago, Lake Washington was a mag- 

 nilicent body of water, the largest of a number of lakes all more or less closely 

 connected and whose outlet was Shautaska Creek, which emptied into the Minnesota 

 River at Kasota. This section of Minnesota was then covered with an almost 

 unbroken forest of gigantic deciduous trees, beneath whose branches, covered with 

 dense foliage, the yearly rains sank into the soil to fill the sloughs and lakes to over- 

 flowing. The creeks and outlets of the lakes and sloughs were obstructed with 

 fallen trees and leaves; the land surface was covered with leaves, weeds, and grass. 

 Six flour and saw mills were located along Shautaska Creek and did a good business, 

 and most of the time had an abundant supply of water. Now this creek is dry the 

 greater part of the year. In 1860, and for a number of years after, the rainfall was at 

 least three times what it is now. The water has receded greatly in all the lakes, 

 and some have completely dried up and are now turned into cultivated fields and 

 hay meadows. In those days the fish were very abundant and the mills along Shan- 

 taska Creek were sometimes stopped by their getting into the waterwheels. 



The buffalo ran out of the large lakes into the inlets and outlets generally during 

 the month of May, sometimes earlier or later, and only once a year, rarely staying 

 more than two or three days. 1 have noticed that the run was almost always at the 

 beginning or during a rain storm. In the spring of 1894, during a rain storm, some 

 buffalo-fish ran out of Lake Washington into a small lake and remained there during 

 the summer and were seen through the ice at the beginning of the following winter. 

 The buffalo-fish attain a large size in Lake Washington, often more than 3 feet in 

 length and 1 foot in depth. When the buffalo are running they always stir up the 

 mud so that it is impossible to observe their doings, but I imagine that they were 

 spawning. 



Suckers are not so numerous as the other kinds of fish. Some suckers reach a 

 weight of 6 pouuds. 



John Kendall, who formerly lived on Lake Washington, states that 

 in 1850 the buffalo ran down the outlet every spring to the Minnesota 

 Eiver, but since the outlet became so small these fish go to the inlet, a 

 very small creek, to spawn. He also states that but one buffalo was 

 seen in 1894, and this was taken in the inlet. A few suckers were 

 taken there also. 



Patrick Sheehan states that there are still many buffaloes and suckers 

 in Lake Washington, in his opinion, although he has not seen many in 

 the last few years. Mr. Sheehan has lived on the shore of Lake 

 Washington for a number of years. 



Careful inquiry was made of the residents along Heron Lake, when 

 it was visited in 1891, and everyone reported that the buffaloes and 

 suckers were abundant in the lake, but were only seen for a few days 



