THE BLACK SHEEPSHEAD. 325 



and Ontario, and is often taken with the rod, though 

 hardly worth putting into the basket. 



The Black Sheepshead (Corvina Richardsonii} which 

 is only found in Huron and other Upper Lakes, more 

 resembles the ordinary perch in colour and markings, and 

 unlike the former is a most excellent and highly esteemed 

 fish. 



Besides the monsters already described as inhabiting 

 the depths of the Great Lakes, are immense Sturgeon 

 (Acipenser sturio}, quantities of which are taken, measur- 

 ing from eight to ten, and even twelve feet in length, and 

 weighing from 75 to 100 Ibs. 



On the southern beach of Lake Ontario, near the 

 entrance of the Niagara river, I have seen as many as 

 fifteen such fish brought in at one time by the boats. 



An account of the Sturgeon in the latest edition 

 of the " Encyclopaedia Britannica," states that it " does 

 not inhabit any of the North American rivers which 

 flow into the Arctic Sea, and therefore is not found 

 to the north of the water-sheds between the 53rd 

 and 54th parallels of latitude, where the mean tem- 

 perature of the year is about 33 of Fahrenheit's scale. 

 It seldom enters clear cold streams, but at certain 

 seasons ascends muddy rivers in vast numbers, so that 

 many populous native tribes subsist wholly on the 

 Sturgeon fishery during the summer. In most localities 



