Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 319 



found July 3 near the Inlet, guarded by a male. After the young 

 are hatched they follow the parent about. Mr. S. S. Chadwick 

 speaks of having seen one accompanied by "a couple of gallons of 

 young, in a thick cloud." 



A good many people near Culver eat the Dogfish in winter, 

 but say that "in summer the flesh turns green and is not good." 

 There is probably a heightening of color during the breeding sea- 

 son to which they refer. The fins of these fishes as seen in the 

 water June 7 and later were of a fine opalescent green. 



This fish is quite free from external parasites such as copepods 

 on the gills, etc. Several individuals examined contained trema- 

 todes attached to the gills and a few had leeches attached, and one 

 had two fish lice (Argulns) , but they were on the whole remarkably 

 clean. Internally they have numerous parasites, especially dis- 

 tomids and trematodes. 



The Dogfish is of peculiar interest to zoologists as the remains 

 of an ancient stock of fishes; it is the only surviving species in 

 the whole order to which it belongs. Its habits, however, render 

 it a nuisance, as it is carnivorous and very voracious. 



Its good qualities as a game-fish have not been sufficiently ap- 

 preciated, doubtless, chiefly, because not many have ever angled for 

 it, and because the fish has not been regarded as having any food- 

 value. But the true angler cares nothing for the edible qualities 

 of the fish he catches. His desire is to match the strength of his 

 tackle and his skill in handling it against the strength and intelli- 

 gence of the fish he hooks. Thus it is with the ever-increasing 

 large number of real sportsmen who seek the large ocean fishes, — 

 the white sea-bass, the tuna and the albicore ; the shark, the yellow- 

 tail, and the silver king. And so it is with the few who have culti- 

 vated the Bowfin. It will take almost any kind of bait, but prefers 

 cut bait of some sort, such as cut fish, a freshwater clam, or a 

 piece of meat. It takes the bait deliberately, but when the sting 

 of the hook is felt, the fish wakes up and gives the angler as 

 pretty a fight as one could desire. 



In the Report of the New York Fisheries, Game and Forest 

 Commission for 1898 is an article by Dr. Bashford Dean on the 

 Dogfish, which contains so much interesting information that we 

 take the liberty to reproduce it here. Dr. Dean says : 



"The Dogfish has been described by some as diurnal, by others 

 as nocturnal in its habits. In the daytime during the season of 

 breeding the fish can readilj^ be seen in shallow waters, and, when 

 not actually on its nest, can sometimes be made to take a bait. At 

 night, however, judging from my own experience vvith set-lines, the 



21—17618 



