128 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



terized by color or structural features, such as are found on the shores 

 of the British Isles. The examination of further material from 

 extreme southern and northern localities is desirable, however, before 

 the question can be considered settled. 



Certain minor points in the relations of the characters have been 

 determined. Thus a decrease in the number of dorsal spines with the 

 growth of the fish, as shown by Garstang's material, holds good for 

 American fish, as does a correlation between the dorso-lateral spots 

 and the size of the fish, not exhibited by British mackerel. A pre- 

 ponderance of male fish, in the ratio of 2 to 1, is shown. No selective 

 process, so far as known, would account for this disparity in the 

 material examined. . 



COBBOSSEECONTEE AND SEBAGO LAKES, MAINE. 



The study of the fish fauna of Sebago Lake by Dr. W. C. Kendall, 

 referred to in the last report, was continued during July and part 

 of August, 1899. Hon. L. T. Carleton, chairman of the State board of 

 fish commissioners, having expressed a desire that the character 

 of the fish life of Lake Cobbosseecontee be determined. Dr. Kendall 

 devoted the last two weeks of August to this investigation. 



Cobbosseecontee is the largest of a connected group of lakes in Ken- 

 nebec County, the other important ones being Amabessacook and 

 Maranacook. It is irregular in shape, about 9 miles long, 0.5 to 2.8 

 miles wide, and consists of two wide areas connected by a narrow 

 portion. The shores are mostly rocky, with a few sandy beaches and 

 a swamp at the southern end, through which several inlets pass. The 

 lake discharges into Kennebec River through a small stream. 



The fishes of the lake are not numerous as to species, but are as to 

 individuals. Among the most abundant are the small-moiithed black 

 bass (Micropterus dolomieu) and the white perch {Morone americana). 

 The latter are protected by law and reach a large size, some weighing 

 3 pounds having been caught. Schools containing thousands of the 

 season's young, from 3 to 6 inches long, were noticed along the sandy 

 shores, ^vhere the black bass were feeding on them. Trout {Salvelinus 

 fontinalis) are fairly common, reach a weight of 8 pounds, and afford 

 good fishing in spring. Salmon {Salmo sebago) have been planted in 

 the lake, but not with much success, as but few have been caught. 

 The character of the lake water seems to be well suited to the salmon, 

 whose apparent inability to maintain itself naturally may be due to 

 restricted spawning-grounds and the abundance of predaceous fishes. 

 An interesting ichthyological discovery is the existence in the lake of 

 the brook stickleback {Eucalia inconstans), which has not heretofore 

 been known from Maine waters. Other fishes found in the lake are 

 the hornpout {Ameiurus nebulosus), sucker ( Catostomus commersonii), 

 chubs (Semoiilus corporalis and S. atromaculatus)^ roach, locally called 

 herring (Ahramis crysoleucas)^ eel {Anguilla chrysypa), smelt {Osnie- 

 rusahhotti), pickerel (Lucius reticulatus), long-eared sunfish {Lepomis 



