West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-11-08
Phenomenon in Niagara River.

Niagara river has this season offered some
fno opportunities for the study oi the main
tonanCc of the equilibrium ~ animal life
on both land and water Early spring WAS
marked by an unprecedented migration OF
minnsws from Lake Erie into the Niagara
river. They arrived by millions, and
formed here and there almost solid banks
OF moving fish The shores of some little
creeks like those OF FrcnChman's creek,
emptyiug from the Canada shore into the
Niagara, were actually strewn with count
less numbers OF dead minnows, which had
been sulrocatcd for want Of oxygen in these
narrow channels. The advent of the min
nows attracted in turn, AS might naturally
he expected, proportionatoly sized swarm
OF their dostroycrs I'm shape of the different
species Of pike, muscalongc and black bass
The latter could bo seen lying quietly in
solid column along the bottoms near tho
shores where the water was sufficiently
shallow aud transparent to permit full
view OF them. Fishermen were perplexed
and in despair, since they would take bait
of no kind, no matter how tomptingly dis
played. Their stemaChs were fairly gorged
with minnows, which could he captured
without any effort whatever
Later on, when the main bulk of minnows
disappeared without being followed 10y their
enemies, the tables were turned, and bass
fishing never has been known TO be ms fine
as it was toward the latter end OF the sum
mar. Though the river is no longer stocked
with minnows IA IL was i'm the spring, the
present amount probably still exceeds that
of any previous year, and has attracted later
ON another host OF their natural enemies
the winged toicrs OF the sea. Never before
has the surface of the green Niagara exhib-
tied such All animated display of gistening
white tocks OF gulls and terms IA IN tho
present months. They have assembled by
thousands, udluXuriato in immense abund-
anco ON their natural prey. Among them
are some species never before observed
here in any notable quantity, or even single
specimens We cnumcrate the KituwAks
gull, besides three species Of terms, two OF
which are determinablc M the black and
common tern, while the other is dubious on
account of its immature plumagc. They
Are congrcgated IN large and separate flocks
and though occasionally lowering high over
the river, may easily be deCoycd TO come
near the surface 10y throwing upon II some
white punches of cotton or paper. A good
brcech-loader will then make considerable
havoc among them, as they generally re-
main quite a long time near any spot where
one or more Of their shot comrades float up
on the water. IL is very easy to see how
black bass and the various species of gulls
and terms should bc found i'm such great num-
bers, where there is an unusual abundance
of their natural food but IA more minute
knowledge, through close observation and
examination, is needed 10 determine the
reasons for the unsurpassed spring migration
OF the minnows. The solution of the prob
lem probably hings also upon their peculiar
microscopic food, whicn may have been az
fected by changed conditions OF the ordin-
arily temperature of the water, or other
similar influences of physical nature.