STRANGE FISH. 3C9 



taken. This lake had neither outlet or inlet, but was 

 supplied with water from springs in the bottom. 



I fear it will be almost deemed heresy to place this 

 fish on a par with the trout ; at least, some such idea 

 I had when I first heard the two compared ; but I am 

 bold, and will go further. I consider he is the superior 

 of the two, for he is equally good as an article of food, 

 and much stronger and untiring in his efforts to escape 

 when hooked. 



A description of a draught of fishes from a favourite 

 black bass pond in Southern Indiana may not be 

 without interest to the reader, as it will give some 

 idea of the varieties to be found in Western waters. 



When returning from shooting pinnated grouse in 



the State of Illinois, I came upon a party of farmers 



who were netting a pond on the edge of the timber 



land. This sheet of water was about two-thirds of a 



mile long, with an average breadth of one hundred 



and fifty yards. The bottom was composed of mud, 



except the southern end, where it was gravel. Only 



when very high floods occurred in the Wabash river 



was there an outlet or inlet to this piece of water ; 



still, I knew it was well stocked with fish, for on a 



previous evening, as I stood on its margin as the sun 



went down, waiting for wild duck, I had seen the 



surface in portions broken into spray with the fishes' 



numerous pastimes, or energetic pursuit of their prey. 



With curiosity I stopped to see the result of the first 



haul, and well was my patience rewarded, for what 



food for study was in the result ! First and foremost, 



from the size and peculiarity of formation, I will 



mention what the fisherman designated a " spoonbill 



catfish " a name without doubt given by some one 



B B 



