Some Observations on Ohio Fishes. 121 



in the canal reservoirs, but it has not yet reached the Ohio River, 

 so far as I have seen. It is a pretty fair pan-fish in some waters, 

 but worthless in others. It is a bold " biter," and is a source of 

 much pleasure and amusement to young anglers. 



The pike-perch (Stizostedion vitreum), or as it is erroneously called, 

 " salmon," or " Ohio salmon," is a very valuable game and food 

 fish, and is one of the commonest fishes in our markets. It is 

 supplied to some extent by our local fishermen, but the greatest 

 number are shipped from Lake Erie. It bears transportation well, 

 the flesh being hard, white, flaky and of a good flavor ; conse- 

 quently it is much esteemed during the Lenten season. It is a 

 very desirable fish for lakes, or rivers with a good depth of water, 

 being hardy and prolific, and is altogether one of the best percoid 

 fishes. 



I found the young very common in the Upper Ohio and other 

 large streams, as the Muskingum and Scioto, in which streams they 

 seemed to be increasing, no doubt owing to the planting of the 

 species by the Ohio Fish Commission. 



The beautiful little " darters " of our rapid, clear brooks belong 

 to the perch family. They grow from an inch to several inches in 

 length, and the many different species are wonderfully barred, and 

 striped, and spotted with gay and brilliant colors — green, orange, 

 blue, scarlet and yellow. Some are transparent and lie hidden in 

 the sand; others lie under the stones and bowlders of the riffles, and 

 dart from one rock to another — their large, broad and brilliant fins 

 expanded — as swift and as graceful, as beautiful and as unique 

 among fishes, as humming-birds among the feathered tribe. I 

 have collected some twenty species of these interesting little fishes 

 in Ohio waters. They constitute the poetry of the science of 

 ichthyology. 



Family SILURID^E. The Catfishes. 



The different catfishes occupy an important place as cheap food 

 fishes, one of the best being the forked-tail channel cat (Jctalurus 

 punctatus) of the Ohio and its large tributaries. I found it very 

 abundant, especially in clear streams, which it prefers to the muddy 

 water usually frequented by others of the family. It grows usually 

 to two or three pounds in weight, though sometimes reaching six 

 or eight. 



Some of the square-tailed cats and bull-heads (Amieurus) are 

 more esteemed for food, however, than the channel cats, and sell 



