Omidii Lake Fishes 3" 



oljtaincfl a specimen of a larye ar};uli<l alMHil a half inch Vmv, on a W liite Sucker, 

 No. 594, found dead in < »neida l^ke ; and a smaller one was found on this six^cies 

 by A. (i. Whitney, in Seneca River, in May, 191*). Leeches were attached 

 to a dead fish (No. 591; found at Sylvan Beach. Some large cestode wonns were 

 found in two specimens (Xo. 1509) from North Pond, near Boonville, X. V.; 

 and several from two Common Suckers (No. 396 and 48) from Lranl)err}- Lake. 

 Reitjhard ('15, p. 225) notes the great mortality of the species in Douglas Lake, 

 but thinks it due to starvation. 



Economics. Considerable difference of opinion exists as to the edibility of 

 this fish, but there appears to be but one well established objection to it, the many 

 1/ones. From some bodies of water the flesh certainly has a very agreeable tlavor. 

 In W.iliuit I.ake, Hankinson found them excellent in this respect, surpassing the 

 Whitefish there. When taken from cold water the flesh is more palatable than if 

 taken from warm water (Bean, '92, p. 29; '03, p. 102). Since these suckers 

 >pawn in cold streams in early spring, their flesh is then good, and they are ven.' 

 lasily caught. Many are caught during this spring "run" in some places, and are 

 waited and marketed, or used for home consumption. Mr. J. D. Black infonned 

 MS that many used to be taken and salted at Brewerton and shipped to Xew York 

 ' ity. Taking them was then licensed, but now there is no legal way of getting 

 these suckers in quantities from Oneida I-ake. This abundant source of good food 

 certainl\ should be ma<le more available. By reducing the numljers of these fish 

 in the lake an increase in Pike Perch, black bass and other game fish might result, 

 -ince there is good evidence that eggs of these valuable s]>ecics are destroyed by 

 the suckers. 



.Iiif/liiig. While this species appears to take the lirK)k but rarely in lakes, 

 it is sometimes taken in large enough numbers in this way in streams to make fish- 

 ing for them an ajiprcciable sport, especially when real game fish arc absent. 

 Worms are used as knit, and sometimes bits of crawfish. Forbes and Richardson 

 ('09, p. 86), Kendall and Goldsborough ('08, p. 24). and Kendall ("iS. p. 511) 

 tell of the eagerness of this sjx-cies to take bait in some localities amounting to 

 .iiinoyancc to the anglers. They say also that these fishes have Ix-en caught on the 

 spoon ami on the artificial fly. .\ large sucker, they say. fights vigorously when 

 booked, and then succumbs. They consider the' food of this species usually to be 

 minute animal and vegetable organisms, but it also takes larger objects such as 

 the eggs of other fish; and even young fish have been found in its .ilimentary 

 canal. Kvermanii ('01, j). 339) slates: "The young 3 or 4 inches in length are 

 considered by many as In-ing excellent liait fftr Black Bass and Wall-eyeil Pike, 

 while those a little larger are in demaml when one g<K's trolling for Muskallunge 

 or the Great Xortliern Pike. Tliis sucker is fairly hanly and (piile active, but not 

 brightly colored." Greeley ("27. p. 37") writes that small six-cinu-ns are used for 

 bait for pike and pickerel, in lakes. 



References. .Xdanistone. '24: .Mien. '14: B.nker. *i('>; Bean, '92. 03: Bcnslcy. 

 ■15; Bigclow. '24; Butler, 'i»'>; Clemens. 'Jj^. "24; Collxrrt. "if*: Coojicr. '20; Cul- 

 bcrtson, '03; FIlis and Roe. '17: l-.nilxHly. "15; Fvemiann. '01 ; Forl>cs. '80, '86, "88. 

 s&i: Forlics and Richardson. 'ii>r. Fowler, 'rt), "12. '13. '14: GrMwIc,' 03: Grcclcy. 

 "27; Hankinson. '08. '16. '17. '20: Jordan and I'.vcrmann. 03: Hubbs and Crcaser. 



