Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-10-22
Space
a Phenomenon In Niagara River.

Niagara rVsr has this season Offered some
hae cpportupi les for the study CT lhs mainte.
nance of lhe equilibrium Of sDimal life cn 10th
aid and water. Early spring was marked By
40 unprecedented migration IF minnows from
Lake E;is into the Nisgars river. Thsy ar
rived by mions, and formed here aud there
almost solid banks Of moving fish. The shores
OF some !l:tle creeks. ike those of Frsnchnsn'd
creek, emptylng tlom the Canada shore iofo
the Nispari, We're actually streWo with count
less uuubers of dead N puows. which had been
sutocaIed tor want OF oxVyeo 10 these narrow
chaunels The adVeu. If rho miuuoas ettrscs.
ed in Turn, as might naturally be expsctsd.
DrorOr,l>Datel siz ID swarm OF t. eir de trn,cts
iu shape of tie different species OF pike, mu ca,
lonsSa black bass. Tue "a Ter would be seen
iyiDg quietly 10 s5l.d colu na along the bottoms
near the shores. where the Water was suf 3ienu
~ shallow aud transparent to permit full
view OF them. Fl=helm 20 were perp'eXei and
10 despair, sloo3 tncy Would take bait of 90
KIDD. no matter how temptngY displayed.
Their somachs were fairly gorgei with mia
n1ws, whi,h could b, captured Wittou! any
effort whstever. /"
Later on. when the main bulk Of miunows
disappeared Tithou5 belog followed By their
enemi.s. the tsbes we're turaed, aud bass fish
iug never has been koOWn to bs as fuo Is it
vas toward the latter cod Of the summer.
Though the river is no longer s.ccked With
mloDoSs as it Was 10 the spring, tho present
anouut probably still exceeds that OF any pre-.
vlous year, AID has attracted later on another
best OF their natural enemies, the winged toll
ers ct the sea. Nsvar before has the surfac,
OF tbs green Nlagara exhibited suoh au su-
mated display of RIisteoiog white fl ,cks of
Euis and terus as 10 the prssan, mouths. They
have assembled By thousands. aud luEurlate iu
immense abuldaucs oa ,h:ir uarursl prey.
amoog them are some Species nsVer b,foIs ID
served here 10 any 10 aba q1autity or even
wake gull, besides tfr.e spccles Of terns tw,ot
Woch arc da,ermIaaolo as the black AID cum.
mon terra, while the other is dubious on aco,uot
OF lis ims,ure plunsse. They are c,ngrs-
gated 10 lsrge aod separate fjeks. and though
occasionally hovcrlug high over the ri7ec. may
ca y bs de ,oy:d tU coms nsar the surf4o, by
throwing upon l. some whit, buacheS of c1lt)u
or pap T. A good bresch.ioader Will then
make Considerable havoc smoog them, as they
gcoeraly remalo quite long tlms near any
spot where one or more of their sh It comrades
f al upon the water.
IL is very easy to see how black bass and the
various speoe, of guili aud teros shouli bs
found 10 suon great ou q 5ers, where there ls an
ueususl abundance of their uatoral food; bus a
more minute knowledge. through c'oso obs,I'
Vatiou aud examination, is decided to determine
the reasons tor the uuspr Jas:ed spring mlgra-
ton OF the miou1Wa. Tns sou!lon ofLha prob
lem probably hoges a'so upon taeir pecuar
ni:cFo:c >pio food, whish na7 hags bseo IF 60
ted By changed conditions OF tho oriioariy
orevAiiiog temperature Of the wl,sr, or other
sinIsri fl ,aocss Of pays,c i natury.-Bufdlo
Commercial,