508 NATURAL HISTORY OP AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



from twelve to sixteen pounds are occasionally taken. Their average at the extreme west end of 

 the lake is less than at the Apostle Islands, where some very large fish are caught. At Grand 

 Island the fish average fourteen pounds, few being taken weighing less than ten pounds. In 

 Green Bay, Lake Michigan, it is no uncommon occurrence to catch with deep nets fish from four 

 to seven pounds, and in one lift there were twenty that exceeded five pounds, and some weighed 

 eight pounds. About ten years ago a White-fish weighing nineteen and three-quarters pounds 

 was taken near Menomonee. The Cisco, a variety of White-fish, in Green Bay attains a weight of 

 three pounds; this is sometimes called the '-Menomonee White-fish." 



Next, in respect to the size of its White-fish, is Lake Michigan. On the west shore, where 

 large fish are usually taken, in the vicinity of Manitowoc, a White-fish weighing twenty-two 

 pounds was taken in 1880. At the south point of Lake Michigan, the average weight is a pound 

 and a half. Thirty-three hundred of that, average were taken out of thirty gill-nets at oue lift. 

 The largest specimen ever taken here weighed fourteen pounds dressed. At Grand Haveu, on 

 the east shore of Lake Michigan, White-fish average about two pounds. Higher up on the east 

 shore they are again larger, and average about ten pounds each in weight, 



Lake Erie contains White-fish weighing as much as fourteen pounds. In the vicinity of Blaumee 

 they are larger than at any other point on the lake. In 187G a seventeen-pound fish was taken 

 at Vermillion, Lake Erie; and in 1879 one weighing sixteen pounds was captured. They are often 

 taken weighing ten and twelve pounds. Farther east the average size becomes smaller, the sea- 

 son's average weight for White-fish at Ashtabula, Ohio, being not more than two pounds and a 

 half. Farther to the east they are smaller still, and in the Detroit River they do not exceed a 

 pound and threi'-quarters average weight. 



In Lake Ontario White-fish average two and a half jjounds for those taken in gill-nets, while 

 those taken in seines will not exceed two pounds. 



In order to ascertain the rate of the growth of the White-fish, Mr. George Clark tried an 

 experiment to which he called the attention of tlie Detroit fishermen in the following words: 



"Attention, Fishermen." 



"The 14th of May last I marked a number of White-fish with brass tags and put them into 

 the Detroit River. The tags were a piece of brass about the size of a ten-cent piece, and a ring 

 about the same size, aud a similar ring linking these two together. The largest ring I put in the 

 small fin on the back of the fish near the tail, each fish weighing about a pound and a half, the 

 object being to ascertain the growth of the fish. 



"Fishermen, one and all, if you catch any of these fish, will you please state when and where 

 caught, weigh and measure length, and* send them with the tags to Crowel & Co., S. John and 

 Buck, of Toledo; the Paxtons, of Monroe; James Craig, A. M. Campau, C. Hurlburt and J. P. 

 Clark, of Detroit; B. Reaume, of Springwells; George Clark, of Ecorse; Mr. Reaume, of Grosse Isle. 



"I hope the fishermen on the Canadian shore will take an interest in this matter, and, if they 

 catch any of these fish will please send them with the abovesaid specifications to the aforesaid 

 parties, or to Davis & Co., and Merrill, fish dealer, in Detroit, or George Clark & Co.'s fish house, 

 Detroit. 



"If the fish cannot be sent, please send the exact weight and length of the fish, with the tag, 

 by mail, to any of the above parties. 



"GEORGE CLARK. 



"EcoRSE, Octoher 9, 1872." 



Mr. Clark never heard anything from these marked fishes. 



