FISHES. 229 



as first, though generally it is below the white-fish, and in some places below the 

 sturgeon. It varies in numbers at the different fishing stations on the lakes. We 

 have been told that " Saginaw bay produces more fisli yearly than any equal extent 

 of inland water in the United States," and the glass-eye, or yellow-pike as it is called 

 there, is notable for its abundance and excellence ; it is " the most abundant and im- 

 portant fish in Saginaw bay." 



The species, as is indicated by its teeth, is a highly rapacious fish, and resembles 

 the pike in its predatory habits and armature for warfare on the rest of creation if 

 in no other way. Fishes of almost all kinds fall victims to it. It is also "considered 

 destructive to young fish and spawn." The spawning season commences from early 

 in spring to April or even May, according to latitude and temperature. 



As already indicated, the most extensive fishery is in Saginaw bay. There, fishes 

 are taken both by pounds and gill nets, in spring and early summer, and again towards 

 the end of summer and later. In winter they are obtained by spearing them through 

 the ice ; in spearing them, " a decoy fish is used to lure them within reach." The 

 markets receive the fish fresh and salted ; when shipped fresh, they are not dressed at 

 all; in spring they are, to some extent, salted and sold as 'salt pickerel.' 



Sanger, sand-pike, gray-pike, blue-pike, and horn-fish, are the chief designations of 

 a smaller pike-perch, the Stizostedion canadense. The body is more uniformly slender, 

 and rounder than that of the glass-eye ; the color is olive gray above, with yellowish 

 sides and dark mottling ; the first dorsal has two or three rows of round black spots, 

 but no posterior blotch ; and the pectorals have a large black ^ 



blotch at the base. Its average weight is about a pound, ^--■^:^'^^^^^i____^^ 

 but some run upwards till a maximum of about fifteen pounds 



is reached. It is much less esteemed than its relative. ^"^ ^ 



. , . . -r^ . -, I. 1,. ViG.lW.— Microjiercapunctidata. 



The rest of the American Percidae are or very small size, 

 and known under the scientific name Etheostominas, and the quasi-popular one of darters. 

 They are among the smallest of fishes, and one (Microperca jncnctidata) is one of half a 

 dozen of the smallest of known fishes, " barely attaining the length of an inch and a half," 

 while the giant of the group is only eight inches long and very slender. They are by 

 far the most numerous of the family, about seventy species being known, all confined 

 to North America. They are regarded as dwarfed descendants of perch-like ancestors, 

 which have found protection and place by reason of their diminished size — the " moun- 

 taineers of fishes." In the words of Professor Forbes, " forced from the poj)ulous 

 valleys of the river beds and lake bottoms, they have taken refuge from their enemies 

 in the rocky highlands, where the free waters play in ceaseless torrents, and there 

 they have wrested from stubborn nature a meagre living." But they have also 

 descended into the streams of the plains ; mostly, they prefer clear running water. 

 They " lie on the bottom, concealed under stones, darting, when frightened or hungry, 

 with great velocity, for a short distance, by a powerful movement of the fan-shaped pec- 

 torals, then stopping as suddenly ; they rarely use the caudal fin. When at rest they 

 support themselves on their expanded ventrals and anal fin." This, Professors Jordan 

 and Gilbert, to whom we are indebted for much of our knowledge of these lowly 

 forms, tell us. 



By far the largest of all the darters is the Percina caprodes. This is almost the 

 only one that has received vernacular names. It is variously known as the log-perch, 

 hog-fish, and rock-fish. It is more like a perch than any of the other species, and is 

 the only one large enough to take a hook, but it is valueless. 



