4 INVESTIGATIONS IN MINNESOTA AND NORTH DAKOTA. 363 
tinues in that direction for about 50 miles, until it joins the Red River 
of the North. The country around Lisbon is drift, somewhat eroded 
and broken. The stream here is about 35 feet deep; its bed is sand 
and gravel. In the ponds or quiet water the bed is of fine sand, but 
at the ripples it is of stones and coarse gravel. The stream is very 
beautiful, and is almost one succession of ripples of clear water. There 
was but little vegetation in the water. A few pond weeds were observed 
in the more quiet waters, and the larger stones in the ripples were cov- 
ered with a short crisp moss. Fishes of several species were numerous, 
and hundreds were taken at a single haul of the 15-foot seine; min- 
nows and darters were numerous. The stream was well stocked with 
such food-fishes as pickerel, suckers, catfish, and rock bass. The writer 
was assured that at the mill-pond 5 miles below Lisbon hundreds of 
pounds of fish could be taken with a hook, and that the fish frequently 
stopped the mill by getting into the wheel. This statement was made 
at other places. The stream is well shaded with trees that grow to the 
very edge of the water, overhanging and effectually protecting it from 
the sun in many places. 
Valley City, N. Dak., July 28.—Although this point is 40 miles nearer 
the source than Lisbon, the stream is apparently much ‘larger, being 
deeper and broader. The river flows through a very beautiful valley, 
a mile wide, that is densely covered in many places with a growth of 
small timber. The hills on either side of this valley rise to a height 
of 100 to 150 feet, and in places are quite abrupt. This water is excep- 
tionally clear for a prairie stream, flowing for much of the distance 
over clean sand and gravel. It is from 60 to 70 feet wide, and will 
average at least 4 feet in depth. The banks are steep, and from 10 to 
15 feet high from the water to the flood-plain. No shallows or ripples 
were found, but a ford or crossing is located 7 miles below Valley City. 
The river was seined just below the milldam, where fish were found in 
greater abundance than where it was examined at Lisbon. The 30-foot 
seine was used, and possibly a thousand specimens were taken at every 
draw. Among the more abundant species were Pimephales notatus, 
Notropis megalops, Catostomus teres, Moxostoma macrolepidotum duquesnei, 
Percopsis guttatus, and Htheostoma aspro. 
This stream is an excellent one for fish on account of its natural 
physical features and the abundance of food. Crawfish were abundant. 
The long grass and other vegetation that grew in tufts and patches 
were filled with crustaceans and insect larve. No contamination of 
the waters was observed or reported. Two high dams unprovided with 
fishways were the only bad features of the stream observed. 
Maple River, Mapleton, N. Dak., July 29.—This is only a small creek, 
tributary to the Cheyenne River and lying wholly within or about the 
western edge of the Red River Valley. The stream flows throughout 
most of its course parallel with Cheyenne River. The upper course 
fiows south, then, making a sharp turn to the northeast, flows toward 
