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FAUNA OF WISCONSIN.
having spine rays and covered with comb-like scales, belong to the perch
family-a valuable
family; all take the hook, are gamey, and spawn in the summer.
      The yellow perch and at least four species of black or striped bass
have a wide range, being
 found in all the rivers and lakes in the state. There is a large species
of fish known as Wall-
 eyed pike (Leucoperca americana) belonging to this family, which is found
sparingly in most of our
 rivers and lakes. The pike is an active and most rapacious animal, devouring
fish of consider-
 able size. The flesh is firm and of good flavor. It would probably be economical
to propagate
 it to a moderate extent.
     The six-spined bass (Pomoxys kexacanthus, Agas.) is one of the most
desirable of the spine-
 rayed fish found in the State. The flesh is fine flavored, and as the fish
is hardy and takes the
 hook with avidity, it should be protected during the spawning season and
artificially propagated.
 I have examined the stomachs of a large number of these fish and in every
instance found small
 crawfish, furnishing an additional evidence in its favor. Prof. J. P. Kirtland,
the veteran ichthy-
 ologist of Ohio, says that this so-calleac "grass bass" is the
fish for the million.
     The white bass (Roccus chrysops) is a species rather rare even in the
larger bodies of water,
 but ought-to be introduced into every small lake in the State, where I am
certain they would
 flourish. It is an excelrent fish, possessing many of the good qualities
and as few of the bad as
 any that belong to the family. There is another branch of this family, the
sunfish, Pomotis,
 which numbers at least six species found in Wisconsin. They are beautiful
fish, and afford
 abundant sport for the boys; none of them, however, are worth domesticating
(unless it be in the
 aquarium) as there are so many better.
     The carp family (Cyprinidce) are soft finned fish without maxillary
teeth. They include by
 far the greater number of fresh-water fish. Some specimens are not more
than one inch, while
 others are nearly two feet in length. Our chubs, silversides and suckers
are the principal mem-
 bers of this family. Dace are good pan-fish, yet their small size is objectionable;
they are the
 children's game fish. The Cyprinidce all spawn in the spring, and might
be profitably propa-
 gated as food for the larger and more valuable Jfish.
     There are six or seven species of suckers found in our lakes and rivers.
The red horse,
 found every where, and at least one species of the buffalo, inhabiting the
Mississippi and its trib-
 utaries, are the best of the genus Catastomus. Suckers are bony, and apt
to taste suspiciously of
 mud; they are only to be tolerated in the absence of better. The carp (Cyprenius
carpo) has been
 successfully introduced into the Hudsonriver.
     The trout family (Salmonidae) are soft-finned fish with an extra dorsal
adipose fin without
rays. They inhabit northern cyuntries, spawning in the latter part of fall
and winter. Their
flesh is universally esteemed. The trout family embrace by far the most valuable
of our fish,
including, as it does, trout and whitefish. The famous speckled trout (Salmo
fonlinalis) is a
small and beautiful species which is found in nearly every stream in the
northern half of the
State. Wherever there is a spring run or lake, the temperature of which does
not rise higher than
sixty-five or seventy in the summer, there trout can be propagated in abundance.
The great
salmon trout (Sal. ame/,ys/us) of the great lakes is a magnificent fish weighing
from ten to sixty
pounds. The Siscowit salmo siscowi/ of Lake Superior is about the same size,
but not quite so
good a fish, being too fat and oily. They will, no doubt, flourish in the
larger of the inland
lakes.
     The genus Coregonus includes the true whitefish, or lake shad. In this
genus, as now
restricted, the nose is square and the under jaw short, and when first caught
they have the
fragrance of fresh cucumbers. There are at least three species found in Lake
Michigan. In my
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