REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. LXXI 
The Upper Ohio River and its tributaries. — During August, 1888. Dr. 
James A. Hensliall and Prof. Charles H. Gilbert, of Cincinnati, made 
an ichthyological reconnaissance of the Ohio River and its tributaries 
between Marietta and Cincinnati, Ohio, in the joint interests of the 
I T . S. Fish Commission and the Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 
For the conduct of this exploration the Hon. Nicholas Long worth, of 
Cincinnati, placed his steam yacht Minx , with its crew of six men, at 
the disposal of Dr. Hensliall, an act of liberality which was much ap- 
preciated. Rainy weather, causing unusually high water for the sum- 
mer season, greatly interfered with operations and curtailed the antici- 
pated results. The streams explored were the Ohio River at numerous 
places, the Muskingum, Little Miami, and Hocking rivers, and Rac- 
coon, Brush, and White Oak creeks, in Ohio; the Kanawha and Guy- 
andotte rivers, in West Virginia; and the Big and Little Sandy rivers 
and Kinnikinnik and Tygert creeks, in Kentucky. Nearly 100 species 
of fishes were obtained, a few of which had not previously been re- 
corded from those waters. 
The most abundant species observed in the Ohio River were the 
channel catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus), red-horse ( Moxostoma ), buffalo 
( Ietiobus ), carp sucker (Carpiodes) 7 fresh- water drum ( Aplodinotus 
grunniens ), toothed herring ( Hyodon ), gizzard shad (Rorosoma cepe- 
dianum ), and skipjack ( Clupea chrysochloris). Pike perches or Ohio 
salmon ( Stizostedion ), newlights (Pomoxis annularis ), black bass, chubs, 
and shiners were also common. The catfishes, suckers, buffaloes, red- 
horses, and white perch (drum) sell well in the markets r and appear 
to be esteemed as food in all the towns along the river; the pike perch 
(Ohio salmon) and the black bass rank highest among the rivqr fishes, 
but are not caught in sufficient quantities to supply the demand. The 
fishermen have shanty boats at the mouths of all the smaller streams. 
They use fyke-nets, drag seines, and trot lines, and have no difficulty 
in selling all the fish they catch. 
The Muskingum is a swift, beautiful stream, fl owing through one of 
the most attractive and fertile valleys of Ohio. Its banks are well 
wooded with gigantic elms, maples, beeches, and sycamores. The river 
has a rocky bed with many rapids, but it is navigated for a hundred 
miles by means of locks. The party proceeded up the river some 60 
miles, to within a short distance of McConnelsville, passing through 
six locks. They explored the main stream at the foot of the dam at 
each lock, and a few of the small tributaries. The young of the black 
bass and pike perch were quite abundant, showing that favorable 
results have attended the stocking of these streams by the Ohio Fish 
Commission. In the Kanawha River the red-horse, carp sucker, drum, 
and skipjack were again found to be the most abundant, with the pike 
perches, gars, and sunfishes less numerous. The waters of the Little 
Kanawha were so impregnated with petroleum that fish life seemed to 
