98 Field Columbian Museum — Zoology, Vol. VII. 



Jenicero, between Lakes Managua and Nicaragua ; and Lagoon Cis- 

 playa, south of Granada. Lake Tiscapa appears to be in the basin 

 of a volcanic crater. The lake is nearly circular, about one fourth 

 of a mile in diameter. It is surrounded by a wall about 200 feet 

 above the lake. It is reported to be very. deep. Two species of fishes 

 inhabit this lake in considerable numbers, Cichlasoma citrinelliim, 

 and Poecilia sphenops. 



Not far from Lake Managua, and between La Paz and Masaya, 

 are several of these small volcanic lakes. All except one, Nahapa, 

 whose water is reported to be very alkaline, contain fishes. The 

 Superintendent of the Nicaragua Railroad informed me that the two 

 volcanic lakes near Masaya were about 135 fathoms in depth, and that 

 these were the deepest of all. There are no boats on any of these 

 lakes. The walls about them were so steep that collecting fishes in 

 them was difficult, and so the short time at my command was 

 devoted to collecting in more favorable localities. 



Lagoon Jenicero was little more than the remnant of a partially 

 dry swamp. The water was nowhere more than a foot deep, under 

 which was a layer of partially decomposed vegetable matter about 

 3 feet thick, in which it was impossible to draw a seine. A 75-foot 

 seine was placed in a semicircle, the natives drove the fish into this 

 enclosure, then drew the ends of the net together, completing the circle. 

 By stirring up the mud in the center, the fishes would swim against the 

 net, where they were caught by the natives. Fishes in this lagoon 

 were abundant. The scarcity of Poecilia sphenops and Roeboides 

 guatemalensis , two species of mud-loving fishes, was noticeable; also 

 the absence of the smaller fishes, except the Cichlids. The Tropical 

 Gar was quite plentiful. The Guapote is caught here in considerable 

 numbers. These fishes are taken with a cast net and a gill net. Three 

 men form a triangle by standing about 25 feet apart. A cast net of 

 about 10 feet in diameter is thrown in this triangle by one of the men. 

 The three men then quickly force the lead line into the mud. They 

 then run their hands over the surface of the net, catching hold of any 

 large Guapotes, the lead line is then raised and the fishes taken out, 

 placed in a dug-out and taken to a large basket-like box. The gill 

 net is a crude affair about 30 or 40 feet long, and about two feet in 

 depth. It is run out in a straight line and then the fishes are driven 

 into it. Each setting would yield from i to 3 or 4 Guapotes. 

 Only a few Mojarras large enough for the market are taken in this 

 lagoon. J^agoon Cisplaya is simply an estuary of a small stream, and 

 is thus connected with the lake. The great lakes of Nicaragua 

 appear quite well stocked with large fi.shes, most of which arc edible. 



