V. STURGEONS, SKATES, SHARKS, AND LAMPREYS. 



193. THE BOWFINS AMIIDJE. 

 THE BOWFIN oil JOHNNY GRINDLE AMIA CALVA. 



The one species belonging to the single genus in this family is peculiar to the fresh water* 

 of the United States. It occurs in the Great Lakes, where it is called "Dogfish" and "Sawyer"; 

 in the streams of Western Vermont, where it is the "Mud-flsh"(!), as also in the streams 

 of the Southern Atlantic coast from the Neuse southward. It is also abundant in the smaller 

 rivers flowing into the Gulf of Mexico and in all parts of the Mississippi Valley, where it 

 is variously called the "Johnny Grindle," "Bowfin," and "Dogfish." The Bowfin is an object of 

 great interest to naturalists on account of its affinities with the great fossil group of ganoid fishes. 

 It is exceedingly tenacious of life, like its allies, the garfishes. It attains the length of two feet 

 and the weight of twelve pounds. Though not considered eatable in the North, it is very highly 

 (Miriiicil by tin- negroes of the South, who s:i\ "there is nothing sweeter th;m :i Mud ti-.li." 1 1 is 

 often taken by sportsmen on a trolling spoon, and is considered "gamy." 



The Bowfin is probably more interesting on account of its voracity, and the wholesale destruc- 

 tion with which it pursues other fishes, than by reason of its own intrinsic worth. The young are 

 thought to be excellent bait for pickerel and pike. The best description of the habits of this fish 

 is here quoted from the pen of Charles Hallock : 



"They take frogs, minnows, and sometimes the spoon. Their habitat Is deep water, where they 

 drive everything before them. They are very voracious and savage. Their teeth are so sharp 

 and their jaws so strong that they have been known to bite a two-pound fish clean in two the very 

 first snap. They are as tenacious of life as the eel. The young, when about six inches long- 

 make a famous bait for pickerel and pike. To use it, run the hook into the mouth right up 

 through the center of the head, through the brain, cast a hundred times, catch several fish, and at 

 the end ot three to six hours he will kick like a mule. Put one hundred in a rain-barrel and you 

 can keep them all summer without change of water. For the aquarium the young have no equal, 

 and on account of the spot in the tail are quite attractive ; but nothing else but snails can live in 

 the tank. He will kill a lizard or any other living thing the instant it touches the water. 



"Dr. Estes says: 'I have sent these young Dogfish hundreds of miles for the aquarium. It is 

 only necessary to keep them in water, a change scarcely being required. The adults are the great 

 'Jumpers' of the lake. On certain days they are to be seen in all directions jumping clean out of 

 the water, and turning complete somersaults before again striking. They spawn in May and June 

 among the grass and weeds of the sloughs, if they can reach them in time. As soon as the spring 

 rise comes, usually in May and June, and connects the inland sloughs with the lake (Pepin), they 

 run up and over into the sloughs, deposit their eggs, and remain near the beds and young just as 

 long as they can and not be shut in by the receding water. The eggs hatch in eight and ten days, 

 the parents remaining with the brood two or three weeks, if possible, but will leave them much 

 sooner if necessary to save themselves. The young will not make any effort to escape to the lake 

 until the next season, when, if an opening occurs, they come pouring out in countless numbers. 

 At this time we take them by stretching the minnow seine across the opening and raising it when 

 full. They are now from three to six inches long, fat and chubby. I come now to mention a 



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