Oneida Lake Fishes 2y3 



Gage ('93, p. 461 j carl) recugnizetl that the most important period 

 for combatting lampreys was during their life in the streams. He 

 urges destruction before sjiawning, and suggests a "dam with a fish-way, the fish- 

 way leading into an isolated enclosure where liie lampreys could be easily removed 

 and disposed of, or a weir of some kind could be constructed at slight expense." 

 Huildiiig upon this suggestion, Surface (99, p. 22j) constructed a weir in the 

 inlet of Cayuga Lake and caught over 1600 specimens (I.e., p. jyj) : but with 

 hand-nets he had even greater success, as by that means more than 1800 were 

 kille.l (I.e.. p. 243^ 



I'ean ('13, p. 274) suggests: "The only means available for the jirevention 

 of this loss is the capture of the lamprey in weirs and other fishing apparatus dur- 

 ing its ascent of stream in which it spawns, and the tlestruction of the larval lam- 

 preys in the nuid and sand shoals near the mouths and along the banks of creeks 

 tribuary in the lake." 



The thriving condition of the larval lami)reys in the stripping pond at t'on- 

 stantia has suggested a new method of lamprey control which may sup[)lement the 

 methods previously suggested. This consists in building ponds with nuiddy Init- 

 tonis. tributary to streams, or in damming streams, and allowing the larval lam- 

 preys to accumulate as they do in the bottom of the stripping jxind at Constantia — 

 "a living mass of small lamprey eels." After the lampreys have accumulated here 

 these jMinds should be drained, through a fine screen if necessary, to allow the mud 

 to dry out thoroughly. Harrowing the bottom would expose the young lampreys 

 and kill them by drying. Untler some circumstances it might be |wssible to kill the 

 larvae by means of co|)|)er sulphate, to obviate draining, or in basins where com- 

 ]>lete ilrainage is not possible. 



Another partial remedy would be a campaign of education that would mterest 

 anglers anri fishermen in the great value r)f the larvae as bait. Surface ( '««. p. 

 193 » remarks: "The .advantage of larval lampreys for bait is that they are lively, 

 moving all the time and atlmcting the attention of such fishes as are hunting for 

 moving and living material u]Kin which to feed, and they are very tough. One 

 young l.imprey will often endure long enough to catch two or three or even more 

 voracious fishes." The reaction to moving objects to which they attach tbeniselves 

 is so [Miwerful that this form of U-havitir nnghl l>e used to aiKant.ige for their 

 <lestriulion. During the day we fre<|ueiitly took from the bottnin of our ImviIs a 

 few s|Kvimens of lampreys. During the breeding season, on or near the bree<ling 

 prouiuls a moving raft might Ik- devi-ed t<> which they would attach themselves 

 and Ik- Irappeil. 



Clearly there is urgent need of further study of these animals, with particular 

 attention to the influence of dessication and copper sulphate on the l.irvae and on 

 the att.icking re.iclion of the adults. 



References. Hean, '03, "(X). '10. 'i.«. '13. '15. "ki: Coventry, 'ji: Dawson, 

 '05: Gage, '03; Gurlcy. W; Jordan. 'iS; Meek. '8i): Kee<l and Wrieht. 'cm}: 

 Surf.-ice. '<;8. \t(). (See < lage, nj-'S. Suppl. 17th. Ann. Rep. N. V Cons. IVpt.. 

 pp. I5K-If)i.) 



Amia calva I.iim.ieus. Howkin, 1>o<.kisii. Gkindi.i. Miokism. Lawyer. 

 (See l-ig. iS*>. » < )ne dead I'.owfin found by us in (^neida Like, and the testi- 

 nionv of anglers, jKiint to its pre.sen. <• in simll nmnl-tx tl,,,.. 1., lu-i,... .,1 u .i.r 



