102 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



adults are light olive yarying to paler and sometimes darker; 

 sides silvery. 



The species reaches a length of 22 inches, and a weight of 

 5 pounds. It is a very common inhabitant of ponds and 

 streams of the lowlands, and a small race occurs in certain cold 

 mountain streams of the Adirondack region, where it is dwarfed 

 in size and changed in color but does not differ in essential 

 characters. Dr Rothrock also obtained a mountain race of this^ 

 sucker in Twin lakes, Col., at an elevation of 9500 feet above 

 the sea level. 



The common sucker is a very indifferent food fish in the esti- 

 mation of most people, but, when taken from cold waters and 

 in its best condition, its flesh is very palatable. It takes the 

 hook readily when baited with common earthworms. 



Dr Richardson says: 



It is a common fish in all parts of the fur countries, abound- 

 ing in the rivers and even in landlocked marshes and ponds,, 

 but preferring shallow grassy lakes with mud bottoms. In the 

 beginning of summer it may be seen in numbers forcing its- 

 way up rocky streams, and even breasting strong rapids, to 

 arrive at its proper spawning places in stony rivulets; soon after- 

 wards it returns to the lakes. Its food, judging from the con- 

 tents of the stomachs of those which I opened, is chiefly soft 

 insects; but in one I found the fragments of a fresh-water 

 shell. In the winter and autumn it is common in nets, and in 

 the spawning season (June) may be readily speared, or even 

 taken by the hand in shallow streams. It is a very soft, watery 

 fish, but devoid of any unpleasant flavor, and is considered to 

 be one of the best in the country for making soup. Like its 

 congeners, it is singularly tenacious of life, and may be frozen 

 and thawed again without being killed. 



I )r Meek found this species abundant throughout the entire 

 Cayuga lake basin, where it is known as the common white^ 

 sucker. 



1)1- Kx cniiiinn, in his manuscripts on the fishes of Lake Ontario, 

 taken in 185)4, mentions this sucker from the following localities: 

 Stony creek, Black river. Mud creek, Cape Vincent, mouth Sal- 

 mon liver, Cha\iinont river, creek at Pultneyville, mouth Little 

 Salnnui ciick, Sandy creek. Long pond, Stony Island, Lakeview 



