HABITS OF THE OUANANICHE 13 



of the other large lakes connected with its tribu- 

 tary waters. Around Isle Ronde, already referred to, 

 and in other parts of Lake St. John, notably at some 

 distance off Pointe Bleue, ouananiche are found in 

 large numbers in the act of spawning, in the month of 

 October, after the fish of the rivers have ceased run- 

 ning up them. In their selection of these spawning- 

 beds it is probable that they count upon the shallow- 

 ness of the water to protect their spawn from pike, 

 burbot, and other such deadly foes as roam the greater 

 depths of the lake, seeking what they may devour. 

 Another favorite resort of the ouananiche for spawn- 

 ing purposes is found a few miles up the Metabet- 

 chouan from its mouth, at the foot of the large falls 

 of that important stream, but at a sufficient elevation 

 above the surface of Lake St. John to be secure from 

 the presence of either pike or ling. The ouananiche 

 ascend the river from the lake and surmount its lower 

 falls in the early part of August. Towards the end of 

 October, if not earlier, they commence to spawn, care- 

 ful observation showing that the parent fish make 

 deep furrows in the sand or gravel by means of their 

 noses and tails for the reception of their ova, exactly 

 as in the case of the salmon from the sea. 



The little that was until lately known respecting 

 the winter habitat of the ouananiche and the locality 

 of its various spawning-beds is, after all, not more sur- 

 prising than the absence of definite knowledge con- 

 cerning other fish life, under conditions much more fa- 

 vorable for observation and study. Thus we have it on 

 the statement of no less an authority than Professor 

 Ramsay Wright, of the University of Toronto, that 



