ey 
Another marine family represented in our fresh waters is that of the 
ScLANID«, fish of compressed and elevated body with a long dorsal fin, thoracic 
ventrals, and a complicated air-bladder. The Lake Sheepshead (A plodinotus 
grumniens) is the only fresh-water species ; it is sometimes spoken of as the Lake 
Huron Drum, from a peculiar grunting noise which it produces, and which is 
attributed by some to movements of the air in the air-bladder, and by others, 
with more probability, to the crunching up of the crayfish on which it lives, by 
the broad grinding teeth of the lower pharyngeal bones, which are most 
characteristic of the species. The fish attains a length of four feet and a weight 
of fifty to sixty pounds, but is not valued for food, at least not from the Great 
Lakes. 
Before leaving the spiny-rayed fishes reference may be made to two families 
of minute fishes which differ conspicuously in their appearance and habits, but 
which have one or two fresh-water’ species. The first of these is the GASTEROSTEID® 
(Sticklebacks), distinguished bythe absence of scales and the presence of bony 
plates, which clothe the sides. Two species are common in the Great Lake 
Region, G. pungitius, the nine-Spined Stickleback, and G. (Eucalia) inconstans, 
the five-spined species. Both are spawn-eaters, and are characterized by the 
elaborate nest built out of glandular secretions of the males, and defended by 
them with great vigour. . 
The second family is that of the Cortip& or Sculpins, represented in our 
fresh waters by several species of Miller’s Thumbs, Cottus richardsoni and others, 
and characterized by the high position of the eyes, smooth skin, spiny head, and 
long dorsal fin, (D. VIII, 17; A. 12.) They are always of small size and appear 
often to be confined to the deep waters of the lakes. 
The only other family of Teleosts represented in the fresh waters of the 
Province is that of the GADID# or Codfishes, a characteristically marine group 
embracing some of the most important of food-fishes; but, in as far as the one 
genus confined to fresh water (Lota) is concerned, entirely unimportant economically. 
This genus is also represented in Europe by a closely allied species, and is known 
as the Burbot ; it is therefore convenient to use the name American Burbot for 
our form, L. maculosa, which is common in the deep waters of the lakes, although 
its nomenclature is very varied. It is abundant northward and westward, where 
it is known as the Mathemeg of the Indians and “La Loche” of the voyageurs. 
It hardly reaches the markets from the Great Lakes, being considered a very poor 
fish, butin the fur countries it would appear to be more. appreciated, the liver and 
roe especially being regarded as delicacies. It spawns in March, and is very 
prolific ; as it is a carnivorous and voracious fish it is probably to be regarded 
as an enemy at least to the young of more edible fishes. It attains a considerable 
size and weight, up to forty-five pounds, and is heavier in the more northern 
waters. As inall the Gadidez, the dorsal and anal fins are long and contain 
only soft rays. (The formula is D. 14—76, A. 68). The body is long and com- 
pressed behind, the head small and broad, provided with barbels, the skin thick 
and mucous with small imbedded scales and the general colouration dark olive 
marbled with black, but paler beneath. Like so many fresh-water fish common 
to rivers and lakes, it attains to comparatively insignificant dimensions in the 
former. 
