FISHES OF THE CONNECTICUT LAKES. 19 
cannibalism. The best places to plant fry or fingerlings are in the 
smaller spring brooks flowing into the lakes or streams. It is unnec- 
essary to say that the brooks should be protected so far as possible. 
To be more specific, it is suggested that Coon Brook would be an 
excellent place in which to plant young fish in stocking First Con- 
necticut Lake. West Inlet and Moose Brook would be admirable 
localities connected with Second Lake. There are no very choice 
tributary streams of Third Lake, but possibly two little brooks enter- 
ing the north end would prove satisfactory. The so-called “ Main 
Inlet ” in the southwest corner seems wholly unsuitable. 
THE FISHES AND THEIR HABITS. 
As previously noted, there are but few native species known in 
these waters. Regarding these, however, there are a few peculiarities 
worthy of mention. The small size attained by the individuals of 
some of the species in First and Second lakes is striking, particu- 
larly of the long-nosed sucker (Catostomus catostomus), chub-min- 
now (Couesius plumbeus), and blob (Cottus gracilis). In Vermont 
the sucker attains a large size, an individual in our collection from 
Caspian Lake measuring 15 inches in length; specimens from First 
and Second lakes average 4.62 inches in length, ranging from 3.75 to 
5.12 inches. This is especially noticeable, since the other sucker (C. 
commersoni) reaches a much larger size, our collection containing 
specimens ranging from an inch to a little over 16.25 inches long. 
The chub minnow is a dwarf compared with specimens from Ver- 
mont and northern Maine, Vermont specimens ranging from 4.18 to 
4.62 inches long, and northern Maine up to 6 inches in length. In 
Round Pond and Third Lake, however, this species is considerably 
larger than in First and Second lakes, specimens measuring a little 
over 5 inches in length. The blob, or sculpin, in all the localities 
where it was collected was very small, the largest, a specimen from 
Mud Pond Brook, measuring jess than 3 inches in length, while from 
the Aroostook River in Maine we have specimens nearly 5 inches, and 
from a tributary of the Androscoggin River specimens reaching a 
length of 4 inches. We can offer no suggestion regarding the cause 
of the diminutiveness of these fishes in First and Second lakes, as most 
of them seem plump and healthy, though many of the suckers and 
chub minnows are affected with tapeworms. In some instances the 
stomach and intestine are so full of them that the abdominal cavity is 
greatly distended. The question of food supply is one of the first to 
suggest itself, but there is no evidence that there is more food in 
Round Pond and Third Lake than in the others mentioned. The 
_ result of the study of the plankton and stomach contents of these 
fishes may throw some light on the subject. 
