384 Roosevelt Wild Life Annals 



Schilbeodes gyrinus (Mitchill). Stonecat. A small, rather rare fish in 

 Oneida Lake, valuable as bass bait, but armed with a sharp spine and a poison 

 gland which are capable of producing a painful wound. 



Breeding Habits and Life History. On June 26, in Southern Michigan, 

 Hankinson ('08, p. 208, PI. 5c;) found a fish of this species 2^ inches long, guard- 

 ing a cluster of eggs in an old tin can. Wright and Allen ('13, p. 4) give for 

 Ithaca, N. Y., the following breeding season and conditions: "May-July i. Nest 

 under board, in cans, under crockery." Forbes and Richardson ('09, p. 198) state 

 that in Illinois, "Males and females taken by us June 8 were already spent, and the 

 spawning season probably falls in May." Richardson ('13, p. 411) found nearly 

 ripe eggs, July i, in Illinois. Evermann and Clark ('20, p. 332) say the fish 

 apparently spawns in June and July, in Lake Maxinkuckee. 



Habitat. The habitat of this sjjecies is in "Still and muddy waters" rather 

 than in those with "rapid current and a clean bottom," and Hay ('94, p. 173) 

 states that "It is accustomed to hide about and under stones and logs." 



Food. The food of the Stonecat, based on the stud\' of 13 sjieciniens. was 

 found by Forbes ('88, p. 462) to consist almost wholly of animal fiKul. largely of 

 acjuatic Crustacea, but a single small fish was found with it. Hankinson ('09, p. 

 208) found the food in one specimen to consist largely of insect fragments. 

 Pearse ('15, p. 15) found the food of five fish examined to consist mainly of 

 insects and small Crustacea, and a small amount of vegetable material. Evermann 

 and Clark ('20, pp. 294, 332) found them eating small crustaceans that were 

 plentiful in the Cliara where the little catfish were lying. Pearse ('18. p. 274) 

 gives detailed findings from the examination of 55 examples of this species. His 

 summary is as follows : insect larvae, 36% ; pupae, 4.4% ; adult insects, 3.6% ; 

 mites and amphipods, lo.y/t : entomostracans, iS% ; oligochaete worms. 18.3%; 

 snails, .1% ; plant material, 6% ; silt and debris, 3%. 



Distribution Records. Our few Oneida records are as follows: Xo. 120, 

 Big Bay Shoal, near Belknaps Landing; No. 314, in shallow water near cemetery, 

 Brewerton ; No. 412. west side of Lakeport Bay; No. 602, found dead south of 

 Fairchild Bay; No. f)22, from Coville's Landing. P.rewerton; No. 626. outlet of 

 Oneida Lake, Brewerton. Most of our s])ecinHMis are small, only 3 being over 

 3 inches long. 



Enemies. I'lvermann and Clark ('20. ]). 297) note this catfish eaten by 

 Rock Bass. 



Rcononiic Relations. ( )n account of its small size and small numbers the 

 Stonecat is of slight direct economic importance. It probably serves as food for 

 other fishes and is valuable for bass-bait. According to Bean ('03, p. 94) : "The 

 species is too small to be of any value except for bait, and on account of its 

 tenacity of life it is greatly in demand for hook and line fi.shing, especially in the 

 capture of the black bass, for which it is one of the best baits known." .\ distinct 

 disadvantage against widesjiread popularity of this fish as bait is its jiainfully 

 poisonous sting, produced by the spine on the anterior edge of the pectoral fins. 

 The poison glands have been given special study by Reed ('07, pp. 555-556) who 

 writes : "The sting of the mad toms has been de.scribed as like that of the bee. 

 In Schilbeodes gyrinus the sensations produced do not difTcr materially from those 



