416 NATURAL HISTORY OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



formerly. Mr. Biker thinks they have left the rivers for the bay, during the last few years, to a 

 great extent. From places on this bay they are shipped as soft fish. Down from Saginaw Bay 

 to Port Huron, the reminder of the western shore of Lake Huron, Yellow Perch are very abun- 

 dant, as also in the Saint Clair Eiver; Mr. Canham thinks that they are on the steady increase. 

 From this region few are shipped, the demand being principally local, but outside markets are 

 springing up. A good many are taken on the lake shore in the bait-nets. 



On the fishing grounds at the west end of Lake Erie, from Toledo to the mouth of the Detroit 

 River, including the pound fisheries of the last named locality, Yellow Perch are said to be very 

 abundant and on the increase. They are usually dressed (skinned) and sent to inland towns. 

 There is a great demand for them by the peddlers who supply the farms. 



About the vicinity of Maumee Bay and Toledo, and in Maumee Bay, Yellow Perch are very 

 abundant at all times. In late autumn and winter a few are shipped to New York City. East of 

 Port Clinton the pounds do not catch any, though they are very abundant in the Sandusky River 

 and small bays adjacent. About Toussaiut and Locust Point a few are caught in spring in the 

 pounds, but are thrown overboard. 



In Saudusky Bay, Upper and Lower, and in the lake between Ottawa City, onCatawba Island, 

 and the Huron fisheries, Yellow Perch are very abundant in early spring and late fall. At San- 

 dusky they are very abundant, and it is thought that the offal thrown into the lake helps 

 to keep them in that locality. They are usually counted as "rough" fish and sold with the 

 herring, but are sometimes counted as "soft" fish early in the season. A very large variety is 

 taken outside of Sandusky Bay in the lake, and Mr. Stoll, one of the authorities of that district, 

 affirms that the lake and marsh varieties are distinct. About the islands of this region Yellow 

 Perch are common, and, according to Mr. Anthony, from five to ten tons have been caught there, 

 several years ago, at one lift. 



In the fishing grounds at Huron, Ohio, on the south shore of Lake Erie, this species is abun- 

 dant. Six or seven years ago few were taken in the lake pounds in comparison with the numbers 

 taken in them at the present day. About nine tenths of those now taken are thrown away. A 

 few are shipped to New York City in late autumn, and a few are frozen. Yellow Perch, in this 

 locality, are not even graded as a soft fish, and seldom bring more than do the sheepsheads. 



Yellow Perch are very abundant at Vermillion, Ohio. Ten tons have been caught iu a day 

 and set at liberty for lack of demand. A few tons of the late autumn catch is generally frozen. 

 Here they do not even count as a soft fish, but sell separately, and rarely for a higher price than 

 the sheepshead. The Yellow Perch are here of a uniform size, averaging about three-fourths of 

 a | M HI in I apiece. 



At Black River and Ainherst this species is very common; they are classed as soft fish, but 

 are not considered a "good" soft fish. They are most abundant in the spring usually in April 

 but unimportant. At these points the Yellow Perch average a large size. 



This species is very abundant during some years at Cleveland and Dover Bay, Ohio, and 

 again for some time but few are taken. They are most plentiful in spring, during which season 

 of the year as high as two or three hundred pounds are taken in a day. When abundant, they 

 have a poor sale, but when a few only are in the Cleveland market they command a fair price. 

 They are of uniform size, and average about three-quarters of a pound. 



At Conneaut and Ashtabula Yellow Perch are abundant and quite important. They are 

 taken iu gill-nets in winter as far as eight miles from shore. In May. when they spawn, few are 

 caught over a mile from shore. At Painesville Yellow Perch are not so common as east and west 

 of that place. At Dunkirk and Barcelona, New York, this species is very abundant, and especially 



