GREAT LAKES COREGONIDS 



489 



on the shore of Lee's Point in the bay on July 25 (record 35). On July 21 and 23, 

 1923, lj^-inch gill nets set in 8 to 12 fathoms and 15 to 25 fathoms offshore lj^ 

 miles south of Otter Creek in Platte Bay took 1 and 12 individuals, respectively 

 (records 26 and 27). On the South Manitou Island off the light on July 30, 1923, 

 a few stragglers were taken in seines, l^-inch gill nets, and pound nets in 1 to 5 

 fathoms of water (record 28). Stray specimens also were collected off Manistee, 

 Mich., on August 27, 1920, in pound nets in 4 fathoms (record 25), and off Seul Choix 

 Point on August 20, 1920, at about the same depth (record 42). Records 17 and 18 

 show a few herring among the chubs taken on September 24, 1920, 9 miles NNE. 

 of Milwaukee, Wis., at a depth of 22 to 25 fathoms, and on November 15, 1920, 

 5 miles E. by S. Yi S. in 12 fathoms. There are numerous records that show an occa- 

 sional fish of this species being taken in the chub nets lifted from depths of 30 to 90 

 fathoms (vide records 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 19, 21, 23, 29, and 31 for Washington Harbor, 

 Sturgeon Bay, Algoma, Port Washington, Milwaukee, Michigan City, and North- 

 port) ; but these fish may have been caught while the net was being set from schools 

 traversing the upper strata. The few small examples taken in lj^-inch nets on June 

 23, 1920, off Northport Point and on July 18, 1923, in Grand Traverse Bay in 28 to 

 40 fathoms (records 30 and 37) possibly were caught in the same way. 



On the other hand, it is not at all impossible or improbable that specimens nor- 

 mally stray to great depths. It has been shown that many of the Leucichthys have 

 a very broad depth range, and it is known that other shoal-loving fish may occur in 

 very deep water. On July 2, 1923, in Lake Huron, 20 miles E. by N. of the Alpena 

 can buoy, a gang of chub nets brought up a sauger (Stizostedion canadense griseum) 

 from 60 to 70 fathoms, and on July 5, 1923, a gang lifted 18 miles NE. % E. of the 

 same place from 80 to 100 fathoms had seven saugers and two 3-pound pike (Esox 

 Indus). Virtually all the fish were alive, but the pike were very much emaciated. 

 Probably they had been unable to see food in their novel environment. 



Thus all the data show that the herring begin to come ashore in September and 

 are at the height of abundance during October and November. In Green Bay and 

 in Grand Traverse Bay some stay on the shoals under the ice, but it is not known that 

 they remain along the shores of the lake in winter, and there are indications that they 

 retire to deeper water. In early spring they come ashore again and are found here 

 when the nets are set in early April. During June the catches dwindle, and after 

 July 1 few herring are seen anywhere. A few stragglers occur on the shoals through- 

 out the summer and also at depths of 60 fathoms and more, but the data we have 

 indicate that the main schools are never in water deeper than 10 to 20 fathoms during 

 the warmest months. It is possible that the schools are also pelagic at times in 

 summer, as in Lake Superior. 



BREEDING HABITS 



In fall the herring migrate toward shore to spawn. Little is known by the fisher- 

 men as to when and where the eggs are laid. In Green Bay, off Oconto, Wis., malea 

 observed on November 17, 1920, were pearled, and about one-third of the females 

 were nearly ripe. Only a few were spawning. The lifts were light at this time,, 

 however, which would indicate that spawning had not yet begun. R. F. Kleinke,, 

 at Menominee, Mich., says that the fish usually spawn toward the end of November 

 in Green Bay, selecting sand bottom in 10 to 25 feet of water. Most of the spawning 



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