VI PfiELIMINAEY EEPORT 



The area, depth and temperature of the water at various seasons 

 of the year, especially the highest and the lowest temperatures in 

 summer. 



The thickness of the ice in winter and whether or not there are 

 constantly open air holes. 



The purity of the water, whether it is free from organic and inor- 

 ganic impurities. 



The nature of the bottom. 



The kind of shores. 



The source of the water supply. 



The nature of the outlet. 



Whether dams or other obstructions at the inlet or outlet or at 

 any other point may interfere with the migration of the fishes. 



The rainfall of the region and the prevailing winds. 



The species and abundance of aquatic plants and the abundance 

 of smaller animals, such as the Entomostraca, for example. Also 

 the species of trees, shrubs and other plants that are found on the 

 shores. 



In a stream the velocity of the current and the rise and fall of 

 the stream should also be noted. 



Detailed and accurate maps indicating the present or past con- 

 dition of lakes are very desirable. 



This report consists of rather brief descriptions of the fishes 

 known at present to occur in the state, simple keys by which the 

 species may be determined and very brief notes on the distribution 

 of the various species. No attempt is made to give detailed notes 

 on the distribution, except where the species is thought to be rare, 

 and in several cases where the species is known to be very common 

 the distribution is indicated by a general statement. No originality 

 is claimed for the keys and descriptions, except in a few cases, they 

 having been adapted mainly from Jordan and Gilbert's Synopsis 

 of the Fishes of North America; Jordan's Manual of Vertebrates; 

 Jordan and Evermann's Fishes of North and Middle America, of 

 which the first part has just been issued as Bull. 47 of the United 

 States National Museum, many of the proof sheets of which were 

 kindly loaned to me by Dr. Evermann; and from the various Reports 

 and Bulletins of the United States Fish Commission. Statements, 

 sentences and phrases have been used freely from all of the above 

 works without quotation marks. The descriptions, however, have 

 not been merely copied but have been verified in nearly all cases 

 by the examination of a series of specimens. In writing the de- 

 scriptions the order of the topics has been determined mainly by 



