The times., 1899-12-03

There being so very many individuals ia
Washington and its environs who delight in
tempting the fauy deEizsns OF nearby va
ters from their aqueous retreats. any accu-
rate information TO be had concerning
fishes viii interest the disciples Of Walton.
The United States Fish Commission has
just published a report on the hsnes OF ths
District OF Columbia and vicinity IL
shows that the District fish fauna comprises
eighty-One species belonging 20 sixty-tWo
genera and thirty-one families The most
numerous family includes the mlnnOw and
carplike fishes and has nineteen species.
Other families with five or more species are
the cathshes. suckers. shad and herring.
and bass and sunGsh
The limits OF the District are given as
extending over a radius OF twenty miles
from the Capitol The waters considered
are, principally. The Potomac River from
OccoGuan River. Va. to a point FIVE miles
above the Great Falls. together with about
sixteen tributaries. including the Eastern
Branch. or AnacOstia River. the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Canal and the Government
reservoirs above Georgetown; the Patuxent
River. Md, from Nottingham Postofice
nCrthward with numerous tributaries
flowing from the west the principal
branches being the Western, COlliRst0n,
and Mattaponi.
The fishes Of this region. says the re-
port, have perhaps received less atten-
tiOn from local students than any other
class OF vertebrate animals. They are GER
tainly not the least interesting and i'm
portant group for study. and at the present
time AFFORD an excellent subject for inves-
tigation. Systematic collecting viii doubt
less add considerably TO the list Of species.
and aid in the elucidation of questions per-
tanning to geographical distribution and
variation.
The local fish fauna has been consider
ably enriched" it continues. "by the in
PRODUCTION OF nOn-indigeuOus species. some
of which are now among the best food
and game fishes Of the region. The ac-
climatized species, numbering about ten.
are mostly members Of the bass family
About thirty species are OF economic i'm
Portance. OF which the principal are the
shad. hickory shad aIewives, striped bass
tbetter known locally as rock, or rock
fish, white perch. black basses yellow
perch, eel, sturgeon, suckers. carp and
catfshes.
Some years ago the value Of the fishes
caught for market in that part OF the P0-
tomac under District Jurisdiction was about
$4,000, about half Of which sum was cred
tied to the shad. a recent act Of Congress
ud1 pIOhlDlLel al IOius or net uSnlGE IN
the District waters. which thus become an
important nursery where such valuable
species as the shsd the herring. the
striped bass. and the black -basses mag
spawn unmOlested.
-Four species recognized as distinct by
recent authorities have been described
from District waters; TWO OF these ars
minnOws. one is a silverside and one
darter. From the Potomac have alcO core
the types Of a number OF other species
which are now regarded as Identical with
I previously described forms.
An interesting feature Of the fish fauna
/ is the regular or occasional appearance in
I our waters OF typical saltwater fishes
| These are usually observed during dry
weather when there is an extension up
( stream OF the zone Of brackish water.
( which is normally about forty miles below
I Washington, but a few. such as the silver
/ gar make deliberate visits to the fresh
/ waters. The salt water fishes which have
| thus far been detected within our limits
/ number about twelve; others may be
I looked for in spring and summer between
( Alexandria and Mount Vernon