April, 1908. Lakes Amatitlax and Atitlax — Meek. 183 



water, because the spawning and feeding grounds are so small, when 

 compared with the immense volume of water in the lake. 



Lake Atitlan will always be attractive to the pleasure seeker, if 

 it contains game fishes like the Rainbow Trout or the Large-mouth 

 Black Bass. The money brought to its shores by the pleasure-seeker 

 will, no doubt, be greater than could be realized from the capture and 

 sale of German Carp if introduced there, for this lake is not suited for 

 Carp, and its introduction into this lake should not be considered. 

 The food supply is not at all large, and the great depth of the water 

 would render the capture of the Carp very difficult. Carp should 

 never be introduced into Lake Atitlan. 



The Rainbow Trout, the Steelhead, and the Landlocked Salmon 

 are the most favored fish for this lake. If these fishes are not selected, 

 the next best are the Large-mouth Black Bass, the Crappie, the Rock 

 Bass, and the Bluegill. 



THE FISHES OF LAKES AMATITLAN AND ATITLAN. 



The fish fauna of these lakes is not extensive. In Lake Amatitlan 

 occur seven species, only three of which, the smallest ones, are found 

 in Lake Atitlan. Of those in Lake Amatitlan only three exceed a 

 length of four or five inches, and two of these are very slender, which 

 really leaves but one species which, if in the United States, would be 

 considered of sufficient size to become a marketable fish. This largest 

 species is not plentiful, due largely no doubt, to over fishing. For 

 catching the smaller species, the ordinary cast or throw net is used. 

 These nets vary in size from about four feet to about ten feet in diam- 

 eter. The mesh is about % inch stretch measure. The larger 

 Mojarras are taken with gill nets, which are usually about six feet in 

 depth and about loo to 300 feet in length, with a mesh of about iK 

 inches, stretch measure. 



Family Siliirf die. Catfishes; Bagres; Juilixs. 



Rhamdia cabrerse Meek. Juilix. 



This fish inhabits the lake, though it is more abundant in the 

 outlet. Its food consists almost entirely of insects and insect 

 larvae. The stomachs of most of those examined by me con- 

 tained almost entirely the larvae of the mosquito and the damsel 

 fly. The Juilin seldom reaches a length of over 200 mm. It is 



