Boy Scouts Handbook Part 29

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Ictalurus punctatus_--The speckled catfish]

Cla.s.ses of Fish

Fishes may be roughly cla.s.sified as (1) fresh water, (2) migratory between fresh and salt water, and (3) marine. Among the families of American fresh-water fishes that are conspicuous on account of their size, abundance, or economic importance, or all of these, there may be mentioned the sturgeons, the catfishes, the suckers, the minnows or carps, the pikes, the killifishes, the trouts, salmons, and whitefishes, the perches, and the ba.s.ses, and sun fishes.

Migratory Fish

The migratory fishes fall into two groups, the anadromous and the catadtomous. The anadromous fishes pa.s.s most of their lives in the sea, run up stream only for the purpose of sp.a.w.ning, and const.i.tute the most valuable of our river fishes. In this group are the shads and the alewives or river herrings, the white perch, the striped ba.s.s or rock fish, some {107} of the sturgeons, and the Atlantic salmon, all of which go back to sea after sp.a.w.ning, and the Pacific salmons (five species), all of which die after sp.a.w.ning. Of the catadromous fishes there is a single example in our waters--the common eel. It spends most of its life in the fresh waters and sometimes becomes permanently landlocked there, and runs down to the sea to sp.a.w.n, laying its eggs off sh.o.r.e in deep water.

Marine Fish

The marine fishes that are found in the coastal waters of the United States number many hundred species, some of them of great value as food. Among the most important are cod, haddock, hake, halibut, Flounder, herring, bluefish, mackeral, weakfish or squeteague, mullet, snapper, drum, and rock fishes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Perea flavescens_--Yellow perch]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Pomolobus altivalis_--The alewife or river herring]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Micropterus salmoides_--Large-mouth black ba.s.s]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Notropis hudsonius_--Minnow or shiner]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Acipenser oxyrhynchus_--The Atlantic sturgeon]

Studying Fish

The study of living fishes is most entertaining and is rendered somewhat difficult by the medium in which they live, by their {108} shyness, and by the necessity of approaching closely in order to obtain any accurate view. The sp.a.w.ning, feeding, swimming and other habits of very few of our fishes are so well known that further information thereon is not needed; and the boy scout's patience, skill, and powers of observation will be reflected in the records that may be and should be kept about the different fishes met with. Fishes may be studied from a bank, wharf, or boat, or by wading; and the view of the bottom and the fishes on or adjacent thereto may be greatly improved by the use of a "water bucket"--an ordinary wooden pail whose bottom is replaced by a piece of window gla.s.s. A more elaborate arrangement for observation is to provide at the bow of a row-boat a gla.s.s bottom box over which may be thrown a hood so that the student is invisible to the fishes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fundulus diapha.n.u.s_--Killifish: top minnow]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Catostomus commersonii_--Common sucker: white sucker]

Identification of Specimens

While many of the fishes in a given section are easily recognizable, there are in every water fishes which, on account of their small size, rarity, retiring habits, or close similarity to other fishes, are unknown to the average boy. These latter fishes often afford the most interesting subjects for study; and in all parts of the country it is possible for energetic observers and collectors to add to the list of fishes already recorded from particular districts.

When fishes cannot be identified in the field, the larger ones may be sketched and notes taken on their color, while the smaller ones may be preserved with salt, formalin, or any kind of spirits. Specimens and drawings may be forwarded for identification to the zoological department of the local state university, to the state fish commission, to the Bureau of Fisheries, Washington, D. C., or to the United States National Museum in the same city.

{109}

Angling

This most delightful of outdoor pastimes requires for its enjoyment no elaborate or expensive paraphernalia: a rod cut on the spot, a cork float, an ordinary hook baited with angleworm, gra.s.shopper, grub, may-fly, or any of a dozen other handy lures, will answer for most occasions. At the same time, the joys of fishing will often be increased if one possesses and learns how to use a light, jointed rod, with reel, fine line, and artificial baits. The necessary equipment for scientific angling is so light and compact that it should form a part of the outfit of every one who spends much time in the open air.

It should be the invariable practice of anglers to return to the water all uninjured fish that are not needed for food or study. "It is not all of fishing to fish," and no thoughtful boy who has the interests of the country at heart, and no lover of nature, will go fishing merely for the purpose of catching the longest possible string of fish, thus placing himself in the cla.s.s of anglers properly known as "fish hogs."

Special Service by Boy Scouts

Valuable service may be rendered by boy scouts in all parts of the country by bringing to the attention of the proper state, county, or munic.i.p.al authorities matters affecting the welfare of the fishes.

Among the subjects that should be reported to fish commissioners, fish wardens, or local legal officers are:

(1) All cases noticed where fish are being killed by dynamite, poisons, or other illegal and improper means.

(2) Threatened destruction of fish by the drying of streams or ponds.

(3) The existence of obstructions to the pa.s.sage of fish on their way to their sp.a.w.ning grounds. All dams in streams in which are migratory fish should have fish-ways or fish-ladders.

Aquarium

_William Leland Stowell, M. D._

Every boy should have an aquarium. The aquarium will give ten times as much pleasure as annoyance, and the longer time you have one undisturbed the greater will be its revelations.

A simple tank can be made from a large water bottle or demijohn. File a line around the top and carefully break it off. For the back yard, cut a paint barrel in two or coat a tub inside with spar varnish.

Anything that will hold a few gallons of water, two inches of clean sand, and some water plants will be a suitable home for fish and other creatures. A boy handy with tools can make a frame, and with plate gla.s.s and proper cement construct a large tank.

{110}

Starting the Aquarium

You can balance your aquarium by plenty of plants. As they grow they give off oxygen which purifies the water and is breathed by the fish.

The water need not be changed for years. The swamps and slow streams afford great numbers of plants. If you know the plants get pond weeds, Canadian water weed, ludwigia, willow moss, or tape gra.s.s. (Look in the dictionary for official names of the plants or get special books from the library.) Take some tape gra.s.s (vallisneria) to your teacher or doctor and ask him to show you under his microscope how the sap flows and the green coloring matter is deposited. The simplest form of vegetation is algae which grows on the sides of the tank. Lest this grow too thick, put in a few snails. Watch the snails' eggs develop in cl.u.s.ters. Buy if you cannot find banded swamp snails that give birth to their young instead of laying eggs.

Any pond or stream will furnish fish that are beautiful or interesting to watch, e.g., killies, sunfish, cat-fish, carp, shiners, blacknosed dace, minnows--the mud minnow that seems to stand on his tail--darters, etc. If you get your supply from dealers, buy gold fish, of which there are several varieties, fan-tailed, comets, fringe tails and telescope eyed. Mirror carp are lively. Paradise fish are as beautiful as b.u.t.terflies.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A balanced aquarium]

Fish Nests

Every one knows something of birds' nests. Did you ever watch sticklebacks build their barrel-like nest, or the Paradise fish his floating nest, and the father fish take all the care of the young? Did you ever see the newt roll her eggs in small leaves, or the caddis fly make a case of bits of stick, leaves, and sand? For a real marvel watch a pair of diving spiders weave their balloon-like nest under water and actually carry air down to fill it, so that the young may be dry though submerged.