430 NATURAL HISTORY OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



decreasing in abundance; and Captain Dingman says he has not taken half a dozen in fifteen 

 years' fishing. Some report them as more plentiful about river mouths and bayous. At Alpena, 

 Thunder Bay, Mr. Case knows of but four or five White Bass having been caught. 



On the fishing grounds of Saginaw Bay, including also those of Charity Islands, a very few 

 White Bass are occasionally taken in May and the first part of June. They were never abundant 

 in this region. South of Saginaw Bay, on the western shore of Lake Huron as far as Port Huron, 

 White Bass are not at all abundant, and are now far less abundant than formerly. Those now 

 taken are captured principally in the Saint Clair Eiver, though they occur, sparingly, however, on 

 both the American and Canadian shores of the lake between Point aux Barques and Port Huron. 

 From Toledo to the mouth of the Detroit Eiver, Lake Erie, they are now rather rare, so much so 

 as to render them of no commercial value. Formerly they were plenty. In Lake Erie, about the 

 mouth of Manmee Bay, White Bass are not so abundant, as they once were. They now occur 

 principally iu the bay, ascending the Maumee River until prevented by obstructions. At present 

 they are not taken in sufficient numbers to be of any commercial value. No reason can be 

 assigned for their sudden decrease in this locality. In 1865 a catch of from ten to thirty tons was 

 an event of no rare occurrence, and now it is seldom that more than one to two hundred pounds 

 are taken at a lift. 



On the fishing grounds of Ottawa City, Toussaint, and Locust Point, White Bass are now quite 

 rare and of no importance. Formerly they were very abundant. On the reefs off Port Clinton 

 they are still taken in some quantities with the Black Bass. On these reefs no driving is possible, 

 but the leads are buoyed up across the reefs, and the heart and pot stakes are set in the mud oft 

 the rocks. 



In the vicinity of the Huron fisheries and Sandusky Bay, White Bass have decreased very 

 much within a few years, and in fact are now rather scarce. At present, in early fall and late 

 spring a few are taken ; some years, almost none. They occur at all the fisheries, without any 

 apparent choice of locality. They are a good market fish, bnt do not keep well during warm 

 weather; are sold fresh, if possible, but a good many are salted. Bank higher than the herring. 

 This species is now almost extinct on the same grounds where they were once fairly swarming. 

 The following is said to be true, and many prominent men of Sandusk'y offer to corroborate it, 

 unlikely as it sounds: In May, 1855, off Marble Head light-house, with a twenty- two-foot net, 

 sixty rods leader and old-fashioned funnel, were taken out, at one lift, forty tons of White Bass! 

 This was at that time the only pound between Huron and Marble Head. On the same ground, 

 from March 28 to May 4, twelve hundred dollars' worth were taken in one net. For many years 

 they were considered the most abundant fish in the vicinity of Sandusky. It is also thought that 

 they were the most destructive of all fish to the white fish. Mr. Anthony says he saw in 1848, on 

 the Ottawa beach, the white-fish eggs driven up on the shore inches deep after a heavy gale, and 

 it was well known to the fishermen that in spring the White Bass swarmed on the spawning 

 grounds of the white-fish for the purpose of devouring the young fish. No one seems to have any 

 theory about their sudden and mysterious decrease. It is also remarked that simultaneous with 

 the disappearance of the White Bass the herring and blue pike increased. The fishermen 

 consider them so destructive to other fish that their decrease is welcomed with satisfaction. 



The white-bass fishery was very important at Huron, Ohio, some years ago, but the fish 

 have decreased, and now the catch is almost nominal. At Vermillion, Ohio, White Bass are not 

 very abundant; they are canght principally early in spring and during the first few days of autumn 

 fishing. They average less than one pound in weight. Formerly they were more abundant and 

 of a larger size. A few are salted. Between the mouth of Black River and Brownhelm Bay 



