42 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
MINNESOTA, NORTH AND SOUTH DAKOTA. 
During July and August, 1892, investigations were carried on in the 
contiguous parts of these three States by Mr. A. J. Woolman, of South 
Bend, Ind., assisted during a portion of the time by Prof. U. O. Cox, 
of the State Normal School, Mankato, Minn. The waters examined 
were Lake Traverse, Big Stone Lake, and the Minnesota River as far 
down as Montevideo, Minn.; the Red River of the North as far as the 
international line, including many of its tributaries; Devils Lake and 
the James River in North Dakota, the latter being a tributary of the 
Missouri River. The work was executed in a thorough manner, and 
was comprehensive in its scope, being directed toward determining the 
physical characteristics of the different bodies of water visited, as well 
as their fishes and other aquatic inhabitants, both animals and plants. 
No extensive ichthyological studies had previously been made in this 
region, and the report of Mr. Woolman upon the results obtained con- 
tains many observations of scientific and practical interest. 
After discussing the geological history of the region examined, which 
points to the former existence of a very extensive lake, reaching 
northward to and including Lake Winnipeg, and drained by a broad 
waterway leading southward through the trough now occupied by 
Lake Traverse, Big Stone Lake, and the Minnesota River, Mr. Woolman 
proceeds to describe and account for the present conditions and rela- 
tions of the principal water areas which he visited. Red River of the 
North is not the outlet of Lake Traverse, as is often represented on maps, 
nor has it been in modern times. Lake Traverse and Big Stone Lake, 
both lying in the valley of ‘‘River Warren” of geologists, are only about 
5 miles apart, being separated by sediment piled a few feet above the 
surface of the former lake. The similarity of the species of fishes living 
in the two lake basins indicates that at one time they were connected, 
and yet thenumber of comparatively unimportant or minor differences, 
quite noticeable and constant, and reaching in some cases almost vari- 
etal significance, shows the landlocked condition of the fauna of Lake 
Traverse and points to the fact that these two lakes could not have been 
united in recent years. 
Lake Traverse, lying between Minnesota and the northeastern corner 
of South Dakota, is about 14 miles long by 1 to 14 miles wide, and has 
a maximum depth of about 30 feet, the average being possibly half 
that or less. The temperature of the water was high, having been 
77° F. when the lake was visited in July. It must change rapidly 
with the seasons, and in winter the lake freezes to the bottom over much 
of its extent. There are only two small inlets, and the volume of water 
in the lake is gradually diminishing. The lake supports a rich and 
varied growth of plant life, and teems with crustaceans, mollusks, and 
insects. Nothwithstanding this fact, howewer, it contains few kinds of 
fishes, none of which can be regarded as abundant. -About the only 
species utilized as food is the pickerel (Lucius luctus), although a few 
catfish (Amevurus nebulosus) and strawberry bass (Pomowis) are taken | 
