290 Ronscirlt Wild Life Annals 



states that active destruction begins in June or July. During the season of 

 1909 (Bean, '10, p. 255), Foreman Scriba of Constantia reported that, "The 

 lamprey eel is becoming a very serious thing in Oneida Lake. During the months 

 of July and August last the surface of the lake was literally coverd with dead fish, 

 most of them cisco and pike perch, about all with lamprey eel marks on them." 



Bean ('09, pp. 192-193) reported great damage done by lampreys in July 

 and August, 1908, when great quantities of dead fish were washed ashore on 

 Sylvan Beach; but Mr. Egbert Bagg, who reported this to him, found only about 

 25% with lamprey scars. Later Bean reports ('10, p. 276) for 1909 that in July 

 there were a great many dead fish in Oneida Lake. These were "chiefly ciscoes but 

 some whitefish, and almost all the fish had been killed by lampreys." In August 

 they were not so abundant as in July. For 1912 he ('13, p. 274) says: "The lam- 

 prey, usually in July and August, attacks whitefish, lake herring, bullheads, pike 

 perch, suckers and other fish for the purpose of sucking out their blood." In 

 his reports for 1914. Bean says ('15, pp. 352-353), "The annual destruction of 

 Tullibee by Lampreys in Oneida Lake had begun late in June, 1914. On the 

 28th I saw about twenty of the dead Tullibee floating at the surface in various 

 parts of the lake. The Tullibee seemed to be attacked in the deepest water." 



Distribution Records. Our lamprey collection included the following num- 

 bers: Nos. 140, Sept. 9, 1915, larvae from the stripping-pond at Constantia; No. 

 96, Sept. 3, 1915; No. 105, Sept. 3. 1915, and No. 154. Sept. 10, 1915, from the 

 bottom of our baats. Twenty-eight other specimens (Nos. 80, 108, 335, and 342) 

 were secured for us by fishermen. 



Enemies. Little definite information was secured on the harmful agencies 

 affecting lampreys. Surface ('99, p. 205) states that a Brook Lamprey was found 

 in the stomach of a Green Heron, Butorides viresccns rirescens. This suggests 

 that some of the previous water-birds may also eat Lake Lampreys. He also 

 reports (p. 206) instances of these lampreys being eaten by the common water- 

 snake {Nalrix sipC(liin). ]\Iinnows of the genera Notropis and Rliiniehlhys, he 

 reports (p. jo'ii, fml uimhi Lamprey eggs in the nests. On dissection the eggs 

 were found in tin- sloniaclis nf the minnows. 



At the close of the l)reeding season, spent individuals are frrquentl\- fnimd 

 infested with water mould .SaproJegnia. according to Gage { '()3, ]). 44(1) and Sur- 

 face ('99. p. 207). 



Economic Relations and Control. The main economic ini])nrtancc of the lam- 

 prey is due to its destructivcncss to fnod-nsh. The character and extent of the 

 injury has been discussed under the subject of the food of the lamprey (p. 289). 

 The injury it does to matiux' fish is so conspicuous that the lamiirey is commonly 

 recognized as the greatest enemy of fish in the lake : yet an equal or even greater 

 destruction of young fish may occur without being readily noticed. 



The larval lampreys are excellent bait, as (iage ('qt,. p. 457) has pointed out. 

 He states regarding the larval marine laniprrvs, that "at ( hvc-n. on the Susque- 

 hanna River, however, quite a business is carried on in supiilyinL; Iar\al lampreys 

 to fishermen of all kinds, and many are shipped to distant jioinls." And P.ean 

 Ti.v p. 274) states: "The larvae furnish excellent bait for [hv larger game fish, 

 mid many thousands of them are so employed." 



