5IO 



BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



Boston Society of Natural History until they were examined by the writer a few years 

 ago. In the collection was found one specimen from Cupsuptic Lake. In 1905 the 

 Bureau of Fisheries' party collected a number of specimens in Umbagog Lake. 



There appear to be two distinct sizes of adult longnose suckers which have been 

 generally regarded as this one species, the smaller size reaching only about 8 or 9 inches 

 and the larger 1 8 inches or more in length. In some waters the smaller size only occurs — 

 the Connecticut lakes, for example, where breeding fish 3J< to 5?-^ inches long were 

 found — and in others only the larger form is found, as in the Rangeley Lakes. But 

 there are other waters where both distinct sizes occur, as in the Eagle Lakes of Fish 

 River in Aroostook County, where the small form ranged from 5^ to 7?^ inches in 

 length. The two forms having somewhat different breeding seasons even in the same 

 waters suggest the possibility of their being distinct species. In fact, in 1886, Mather" 

 described the smaller one as distinct under the name of Catostomus nanomyzon. 



This species is regarded as a comparatively deep-water fish, seldom entering shal- 

 low water except to breed or feed upon the eggs of other fishes. 



Its breeding season in Rangeley waters has not been ascertained, but in some other 

 waters of Maine it spawns in June. Its food, like that of the other suckers, consists 

 mostly of minute animal and some vegetable life obtained from the bottom, and it is 

 known to feed extensively upon the eggs of other fishes as well as its own. 



On July 27, 1905, one was taken in a gill net off B Point, on July 28 another was 

 caught, on August 3 several were taken, and on August 17 about 50 were taken by the 

 same means and in the same place. On August 17 one was caught in a gill net in the 

 deep hole off Sunday Cove. (See Table I, p. 590.) 



The longnose sucker may be readily distinguished from the common sucker by its 

 longer snout and more tapering head and finer and more numerous scales. 



It sometimes takes a baited hook very readily and is a fairly good fish to eat. 



COMMON SUCKER {Catostomus commersonii). 



This is one of the widest distributed and well-known suckers, abundant in almost 

 every stream, pond, and lake from Quebec and the Great Lakes to Montana and Colo- 

 rado and southward to Missouri and Georgia. It reaches a weight of 4 or 5 pounds in 



Fig. 3. — Common sucker {Catostomus commersonii). 



some waters, and in others its largest adult size is only a few ounces. The largest taken 

 by the Bureau of Fisheries' party in Umbagog Lake had a total length of 16 inches. 



o Mather, Fred. Memoranda relating to Adirondack fishes, with descriptions of new species, from researches made in iSSi, 

 Twelfth Reix>rt, Adirondack Survey, appendix, zoology, 1886, p. 36. 



