SIXTY-TWO SPECIES OF FISHES FROM LAKE ERIE 
295 
remedial measures or, at any rate, an understanding of contributing factors toward these 
losses, is urgently indicated. Because an alarming decrease has occurred during late 
years in the numbers of commercial fish available from Lake Erie, this survey under 
the direction of Dr. Charles J. Fish was inaugurated in the spring of 1928 to attempt 
an explanation of the causes and, if possible, to suggest methods of remedy. Pooling 
resources, equipment, and workers, the United States Bureau of Fisheries, the New 
York State Conservation Department, the Ontario Department of Game and Fisheries, 
the health department of the city of Buffalo, and the Buffalo Society of Natural 
Sciences launched upon an intensive investigation of these waters. 
A steam vessel, the U. S. F. S. Shearwater, was used constantly throughout the 
spring and summer of 1928 in eastern Lake Erie to the westward boundary of New 
York State and to Long Point on the Canadian shore. Between June 15 and July 26 
the New York State gasoline launch Navette made observations and collections in 
shallow water around the margin of the lake. 
In 1929 the investigations were continued in similar manner aboard the Shear- 
water. The region surveyed, however, was increased to include the whole of Lake 
Erie. The State of Ohio joined forces with the previously cooperating institutions, 
and the waters of the lake were combed for young fish. 
In 1930 no active collecting was done, but over 20,000 young fishes which had 
been taken by the Ohio Division of Fish and Game in the previous year were examined, 
identified, charted, and described in an attempt to locate formerly undescribed young 
and further stages of fishes already recorded by the cooperative survey. 
COLLECTION OF MATERIAL 
Petersen young-fish trawls of quarter-inch square mesh at all depths, silk Helgo- 
land trawls on the bottom, and meter nets at the surface and deeper levels were used 
dining 1928 for the collection of young fish material. The only collecting gear used 
in the following year were meter nets and occasional dip nets. At each station investi- 
gated a typical plankton net of No. 0 and No. 2 silk with a ring 1 meter in diameter 
was towed for 5 minutes at the surface, and another simultaneously at about 1 meter 
above the bottom. The samples were preserved in weak formalin at once and examined 
later in the laboratory. Because of the greater area covered by the survey in 1929 
and the large number of observations necessary, the towing of Petersen and Helgo- 
land trawls was omitted, but the use of these specially constructed young-fish nets is 
strongly recommended for the capture of such material. 
Additional specimens studied were collected by members of the staff and reared 
at the Buffalo Museum of Science. Others were kindly loaned by various State and 
Federal hatcheries. 
LABORATORY TECHNIQUE 
When the plankton bottles arrived in the laboratory they were carefully examined, 
and all young fish and eggs removed. Specimens were preserved in 2 per cent forma- 
lin in distilled water, thus preparing them for later staining and clearing if desired. 
There is only one character remaining comparatively constant throughout the 
life of the individual, and that is the vertebral count. Thus in the earliest stages, 
before the fin rays and other diagnostic characters of the adult are distinguishable, 
the number of vertebra is the most valuable hint of identification, and it is with this 
count that much of the work must be done. There are certain peculiarities for each 
