The Relation of Shellfish to Fish in Oneida Lake 21 



Pike feeding upon Carp minnows, Gizzard Shad, etc., which 

 are known to eat 7 per cent of shellfish. The Sand Pike, on 

 the other hand, feeds upon Catfish, White Perch, etc., which 

 consume upwards of 30 per cent of shellfish, this being the 

 largest amount of indirect molluscan food. The much es- 

 teemed game fish, the Large- and Small-mouthed Black Bass, 

 feed on Yellow Perch, Catfish, etc., which consume about 

 8 per cent of shellfish. The valuable Great Lake Trout feeds 

 largely on Whitefish, which eats 26 per cent of shellfish. 

 It is seen, therefore, that these six important game fish eat 

 indirectly 15 per cent of shellfish food, indicating again the 

 value of this class of animals in the economy of fish. 



OXEIDA LAKE FISH THAT FEED TTPOX SHELLFISH 



Of the fish inhabiting Oneida Lake eight are eaters 

 directly of shellfish the ratios being from 1 to 66 per cent. 

 The most voracious eater of shellfish is the Pumpkinseed 

 which has the largest percentage of those of any waters yet 

 examined, 66 per cent. This is 15 per cent higher than the 

 general average, which is 51 per cent. Next to the Pumpkin- 

 seed, the Common Sucker is the largest eater, consuming 30 

 per cent of shellfish. The Common Bullhead eats 10 per 

 cent while the Yellow Bullhead appropriates but 1 per cent 

 and the Yellow Perch 10 per cent. As stated above, the 

 basses and pikes should be credited' with a considerable 

 amount of shellfish food eaten secondarily, in their case 

 probably as much as 13 per cent. 



It is of interest to compare the detailed food studies made 

 upon New York fish with those made by Forbes some years 

 ago. Forbes examined 1,221 specimens representing 87 

 species, of which 917 were adult and 307 were young. Of 

 the 87 species, 39 were shellfish eaters more or less, or 

 nearly one-half. Needham and the writer have made care- 

 ful examinations of 298 specimens representing 19 species 

 of New York fish, of which 10, or over half, are shellfish 

 eaters. In New York the sunfish appear to be large con- 

 sumers of shellfish, the Pumpkinseed eating 66 per cent, as 



