162 GUN, ROD, AND SADDLE. 



the skin being a labyrinth of veins. Afterward I 

 saw, at different times, many of this curious family, 

 thus proving that they are in no way rare; still, 

 I have never seen them mentioned by naturalists. 

 Probably it is exclusively confined to inland Ameri- 

 can waters. Further, I would say, the vitality was 

 remarkable, for after transporting it home it lived for 

 over an hour. The weight of the entire fish was 

 probably about sixteen pounds. The next attraction 

 noticed was what is familiarly known in that vicin- 

 ity as " the pond fish." In color it much resembles 

 the beautiful black bass, in shape slender but grace- 

 ful ; the placement of the fins is the same as in the 

 pike family, but the head is small and not unlike that 

 of a trout. It is a greedy feeder, and from its being 

 uneatable (the flesh being hard and rank) is considered 

 a great bore by the fishermen. Their average weight 

 is from two to four pounds. Still another variety 

 with which I had been previously unacquainted was 

 taken, viz., " the great western carp " there called 

 "the buffalo fish." It is frequently captured of enor- 

 mous size several I have seen over twenty pounds. 

 They are much and deservedly esteemed, and are tak- 

 en in immense numbers in the spring of the year by* 

 spearing ; for as soon as a flood takes place, when the 



