Oneida Lake I-isltes .^53 



lluy were f«iiin<l in three stream collectimis ; No. -(>. Scriba Creek; No. 413, 

 Duii^jlas Creek; No. 511. Oneida Creek. In a fall collection nia<le in < )ctiilier, 

 i<j\(}. one Knicrald Minnow was found (No. 622). 



liiiemies and Disease. Hean ("07, p. 193 1 .says that it furnishes ahuntlant 

 and dainty fowl for jjanie sjiecies. It api)ears to Iw very free from disease, at 

 least in ( )neida I^ke. for only two collections containe<l diseasetl fish; No. 308. 

 three siwcimens. and No. 51S. one s|)ecimen. luich of these fish ha<l a whitish 

 area or xone on the iKxly. ai)])arently pnwluced by Saproleijiiia. This was on the 

 caudal peduncle in each of the three of collection Nr>. 50S; the caudal fin was 

 completely destroyed in two. and nearly so in the third. ( )n ()ctul)er 3, i<;2o. two 

 w ith the caudal peduncle diseased were taken at Maple Hay. 



iieonoiiiie Relations and .Imjlini/. This species appears to l)e valuable as a 

 li;iit minnow chictly on accoimt of its abundance, and it is easily caut,dn in large 

 numbers, llankinson found it plentiful in I-akcs Michigan and Huron, where it 

 is taken l)y a few dips near shore with a small seine or dii)-net. in such numbers 

 as to furnish enough I'erch bait for several hours of fishing. This and the Spot- 

 t.iikd Minnow apjiear to be the common minnows sold to anglers by bait fishermen 

 about the (ireat Lakes ( Forl)es and Kichard.son, 'w;. p. ijj; Kvermann. '01. p. 

 ^2i^). Its silvery sides make it attractive bait, but it dies quickly and its scales 

 come oflt easily, .\nglers have informed us that it is of little value for fishing 

 in Oneida l^ike. Kvermann ("oi. p. 32S). however, notes that with careful 

 handling it makes a very good bait for Mlack Mass or ^■ellow I'erch. Mean i'nj. 

 p. i<>3) also c<insiders it goo<l bait for the Mlack Masses and I'ike I'erch. This 

 minnow is said to l)e very hardy in cold water (I.e.) so that it is a useful l>ait in 

 winter, and, in f.act. it is the ])rincii)al Knit used in jH-rch fishing through the ice 

 at ( >neida I^ake. 



It furnishes fojxl for the larger fish, but it is suspected of eating the eggs of 

 I'ike I'erch. Mean says (I.e.) : "If the experiment now in progress to establish it 

 in trout waters ))roves successful, we may exi)ect results highly iK-neficial to fish 

 culture, as trout foo<l is often costly and difficult to obtain in g<MMl condition." 

 I*"oreman Scriba. formerly of lonstantia Hatchery, shi]ipe<l i.cxx) of these shiners 

 to the .\diron<lack Hatchery aiul i.tKio to the Delaware. N. Y.. Hatchery for these 

 experiments (I.e. i>p. iSi. iW)t. M.acdonald ('jj. ]>. H)'>) rei)orts 15.000 dis- 

 tributed by the hatchery at Constantia in i<»J<>. However, if I-.meraM Minnows 

 eat spawn, some caution should Ik- exercised in intnMlucing them into trout waters. 

 lUfore such intriKlnction is attempted a careful study of the f<MHl of the s|KYic.s 

 should Ik- made. .*since this minnow and the Mrook Trout iMith fee<l on aijuatic 

 insects ami !".ntonH)stiaca ( I-'orln-s ami Uichardson. '(X), p. 153: l""orl>es. 'S3, 

 p. 130; N'eedham. "03, p. jo, ) it is possible that, if planted together in small 

 streams, a fiMwl com|K-tition unfavorable to the trout may result. These fish arc 

 excellent for aquaria. Their glistening siiles. (mi(|ue fonn and graceful movements 

 ni.ike them attractive, and they live well if given g<«Kl clear water froiuently. 

 A prepared f<Knl containing insect m.iterial sbouM Ik- given them. Hankinsun 

 has ke|)t them for more than six months in simple atpiaria. 



Referenees. Mean, '03. '07: Clemens. "^4; Kvennann. 'm ; Forbes. 'H\\ 

 Forbes an<l Richardson. 'o<>; Fowler, "ixj; (irit-ley. '2~: Jordan and I'vermann. 

 ■'K>: Macdonald. 'ij: Neeilham. "03. 



