344 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
54. Etheostoma plioxocephalum Nelson. Poteau River at Fort Smith, scarce. 
55. Etheostoma fusiforme (Girard). Arthur, common; scales, 46 to 52; D. ix or x-11; cheeks and 
opercles scaly; breast naked; a small black spot at base of caudal fin. Kiainichi, scarce. 
56. Etheostoma microperca Jordan & Gilbert. Kiamiclii and Poteau, scarce. This species has 
sometimes but one anal spine. 
57. Stizostedion canadense (C. H. Smith). Sanger. Said to be common in the Poteau River at 
Fort Smith. 
58. Aplodinotus grunniens Rafinesque. Fresh-water Drum. Goodland, scarce; Arthur and the 
Arkansas River at Fort Smith, common. 
THE ST. FRANCIS RIVER. 
The region drained in Arkansas by the St. Francis River is low and flat, except 
the eastern slope of Crowley Ridge, Avhich is more or less rolling. The river soon 
after passing south of the northern line of Arkansas widens, forming a lake from a 
few rods to 5 miles wide and about 50 miles long. On either side of this lake are 
many shallow bayous which quite or entirely dry up during the summer. The region 
between the St. Francis and Mississippi rivers is very low and contains a number of 
lakes, some of which are 5 or 6 miles wide and three or four times as long. Most of 
these lakes discharge their AA r aters into the St. Francis, the others into the Mississippi 
River. In the spring nearly all of this region, including a large area west of the St. 
Francis River, is flooded with water from a depth of a few inches to as much as 10 
feet. Thus, at least once a year, the Mississippi, these lakes, the St. Francis, and even 
the head waters of the Black and Cache rivers, are all united in one vast sheet of 
water. There is probably no time in the year when it is not possible Avith a small 
skiff to go from St. Francis through Little River to the Mississippi River. 
The present conditions of this region are due to the New Madrid earthquake of 
1811-12. After the quaking of the earth, which lasted for several months, had subsided 
large areas of land sunk several feet below their former level, while a feAv smaller 
areas became somewhat elevated. The large lakes now in this region and the broad 
lake like channel of the St. Francis River are due to this earthquake. Many of the 
large cracks made in the earth at that time are still visible as shallow ditches 1 or 2 
yards wide and 6 inches or more in depth. To the ordinary observer these would be 
scarcely noticed. Although the people who witnessed that earthquake have about 
all passed away, so vivid were their recollections of it that their descendants point 
out Avith much accuracy the marks left by it and discuss Avith clearness its destructive 
features. I visited Old River, about 10 miles east of Green way. This was formerly 
the main channel of the St. Francis, but after the earthquake its new channel was 
formed about 6 miles farther east. The Old River is little more than a large bayou. 
It has but little current, has a sandy bottom, and contains only a small amount of 
vegetation. It varies much in Avidth, being from half a mile to only a few rods wide. 
It is as much as 20 feet deep in places, and seems to be full of fish life. 
It was a comparatively easy matter with a collecting seine to catch pickerel and 
black bass weighing from 1 to 3 pounds. The water was quite clear, and large gars, 
buffalo, pickerel, black bass, and sunfishes could be seen in abundance. The usual 
method of catching black bass (the favorite food-fish) was trolling. The parts of tAvo 
days I spent on Old River I saw many black bass taken this way. Two men Avould 
be out one or two hours and return with a dozen or more black bass weighing from 2 
to 5 pounds. In all of my collecting I have never seen another stream that seemed to 
contain the enormous amount of fish life found in Old and St. Francis rivers. 
