188 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
The apparent uniformity in the catch of buffalo fish in the basin as a whole over 
a long period of years is quite remarkable. The figures that follow are from Sette 
(1925, p. 209): 
Pounds 
1894 15 , 924 , 810 
1899 14 , 215,975 
1903 11 , 491 , 663 
1908 15 , 040,000 
1922 15 , 488,765 
The species are not separated in statistical reports, and, indeed, it has not been 
practicable to do so. Some fishermen think that they distinguish five or six kinds of 
buffalo fishes. The majority of them name three, as do the systematic treatises. 
After examining many specimens, Stringham recognized the three known species but 
concluded that the published descriptions did not afford a satisfactory test for dis- 
tinguishing between urus (Agassiz) and bubalus (Rafinesque) ; the ratio of depth to 
length was so variable as to be of little use for diagnostic purposes, but the degree of 
Figure 20. — Large-mouth buffalo fish or stubnose, Ictiobus cyprinella 
transverse rounding of the anterior dorsal region offered a more satisfactory point 
of distinction. 
For the reason that field identifications were sometimes doubtful, and because 
all statistical data and much of the information received from others was without value 
for application to particular species, it is not attempted in the following discussion 
to treat the species separately. Certain essential facts regarding the several species 
were established, and these will be reported first. 
The two common species, the big-mouth buffalo fish, cyprinella, and the small- 
mouth buffalo fish, bubalus, are about equally abundant at Keokuk, while compara- 
tively few of the “mongrel” buffalo fish, urus, were identified. They are all present 
at Keokuk practically all the time. During 1915 and 1916 bubalus w T as recorded 
each month except December, when no observations were made; cyprinella, each 
month except January and December; urus, each month except January, November, 
and December. 
The spawning season of the large-mouth buffalo fish at Keokuk in 1916 ex- 
tended from early in April to the middle of May. The small-mouth buffalo fish 
may have begun spawning as early, but no “ripe” fish were noted until April 21, and 
