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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/37742-8.txt b/37742-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..01d0a47 --- /dev/null +++ b/37742-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2912 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin, Kansas, by +W. L. Minckley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin, Kansas + +Author: W. L. Minckley + +Release Date: October 13, 2011 [EBook #37742] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FISHES OF THE BIG BLUE RIVER *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Tom Cosmas, Joseph Cooper and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS + MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY + + Volume 11, No. 7, pp. 401-442, 2 plates, 4 figs. in text, 5 tabl. + + May 8, 1959 + + + + Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin, + Kansas + + BY + + W. L. MINCKLEY + + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS + LAWRENCE + 1959 + + + + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS, MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY + + Editors: E. Raymond Hall, Chairman, Henry S. Fitch, Robert W. Wilson + + + Volume 11, No. 7, pp. 401-442, 2 plates, 4 figs. in text, 5 tables + Published May 8, 1959 + + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS + Lawrence, Kansas + + A CONTRIBUTION FROM + THE STATE BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF KANSAS + + + PRINTED IN + THE STATE PRINTING PLANT + TOPEKA, KANSAS + 1959 + + [Union Label] + + 27-7080 + + + + +Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin, Kansas + +BY + +W. L. MINCKLEY + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE + Introduction 403 + Acknowledgments 404 + Tuttle Creek Dam and Reservoir 404 + Big Blue River Basin 404 + Geology of the basin 405 + Climate, population, and land-use 406 + Physical features of streams 407 + Previous records of fishes 410 + Methods and materials 410 + Collecting stations 412 + Annotated list of species 414 + Hybrid combinations 431 + Relative abundance and discussion of species 431 + Creel census 435 + Recommendations 437 + Summary 438 + Literature cited 438 + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +The Big Blue River in northeastern Kansas will soon be impounded by +the Tuttle Creek Dam, located about five miles north of Manhattan, +Kansas. Since the inception of this project by the U. S. Army Corps of +Engineers much argument has arisen as to the values of the dam and +reservoir as opposed to the values of farmland and cultural +establishments to be inundated (Schoewe, 1953; Monfort, 1956; and Van +Orman, 1956). Also, there has been some concern about the possible +effects of impoundment on the fish-resources of the area, which +supports "a catfish fishery that is notable throughout most of the +State of Kansas and in some neighboring states (U. S. Fish and +Wildlife Service, 1953:9)." The objectives of my study, conducted from +March 30, 1957, to August 9, 1958, were to record the species of fish +present and their relative abundance in the stream system, and to +obtain a measure of angler success prior to closure of the dam. These +data may be used as a basis for future studies on the fish and fishing +in the Big Blue River Basin, Kansas. + + + + +ACKNOWLEDGMENTS + + +I thank Messrs. J. E. Deacon, D. A. Distler, Wallace Ferrel, D. L. +Hoyt, F. E. Maendele, C. O. Minckley, B. C. Nelson, and J. C. Tash for +assistance in the field and for valuable suggestions. Dr. J. B. Elder, +Kansas State College, arranged for loan of specimens, and Mr. B. C. +Nelson supplied data on _Notropis deliciosus_ (Girard) in Kansas, and +on specimens in the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. + +I thank the many landowners who allowed me access to streams in the +Big Blue River Basin. The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City +District, also allowed access in the reservoir area, and furnished +information and some photographs. Mr. J. C. Tash did chemical +determinations on my water samples. + +Dr. Frank B. Cross guided me in this study and in preparation of this +report. Drs. E. Raymond Hall and K. B. Armitage offered valuable +suggestions on the manuscript. Equipment and funds for my study were +furnished by the State Biological Survey of Kansas, and the Kansas +Forestry, Fish and Game Commission granted necessary permits. + + + + +TUTTLE CREEK DAM AND RESERVOIR + + +The data on Tuttle Creek Dam and Reservoir that follow were furnished +by Mr. Donald D. Poole, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City +District. The dam, an earth-fill structure, will be 7,500 feet in +length, with a maximum height of 157 feet above the valley floor. +Release of water will be from beneath the west end of the dam, through +two tunnels 20 feet in diameter that have a capacity of 45,000 cubic +feet per second; however, releases exceeding 25,000 c. f. s. are not +planned. The gated spillway is located at the east end of the dam. +Freeboard will be 23 feet at the top of flood-control pool. + +The reservoir will have a maximum pool of 2,280,000 acre-feet +capacity, a 53,500-acre surface area, and 368 miles of shoreline. The +present operational plan provides for a conservation pool having a +surface area of 15,700 acres, a shoreline of 112 miles, and a length +of 20 miles. + + + + +BIG BLUE RIVER BASIN + + +Big Blue River and its tributaries, a sub-basin of the Kansas River +System, drain approximately 9,600 square miles, of which 2,484 miles +are in Kansas (Colby, _et al._, 1956:44). The headwaters of the Big +Blue River are in central Hamilton County, Nebraska, near the Platte +River (Fig. 1). The stream flows generally south and east for 283 +miles to its confluence with the Kansas River near Manhattan, Kansas. +Little Blue River, the largest tributary to the Big Blue, rises in +eastern Kearney and western Adams counties, Nebraska, and flows +southeast for 208 miles to join the Big Blue near Blue Rapids, Kansas +(Nebraska State Planning Board, 1936:628). The Big Blue River Basin +varies in width from 129 miles in the northwest, to approximately ten +miles near the mouth (Colby, _et al._, 1956:44). + + + + +GEOLOGY OF THE BASIN + + +In Kansas, outcrops of Pennsylvanian and Cretaceous age occur along +the extreme eastern and western sides of the Big Blue River Basin, +respectively, whereas Permian beds (overlain by Pleistocene deposits) +occur throughout most of the remainder of the watershed (see Moore and +Landes, 1937). The Big Blue and Little Blue rivers and their +tributaries have deeply incised the Permian beds of the Flint Hills in +Kansas, exposing limestones and shales of the Admire, Council Grove, +Chase, and Sumner groups (Wolfcampian and Leonardian series) (Walters, +1954:41-44). Pleistocene deposits in the Big Blue Basin in Kansas +consist of alluvium, glacial till, and glacial outwash from the Kansan +glacial stage, overlain by loess deposits of Wisconsin and Recent +stages (Frye and Leonard, 1952: pl. 1). + + [Illustration: FIG. 1. Big Blue River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska.] + +The Big Blue River was formed "in part on the till plain surface and +in part by integration of spillway channels," in the latter portion of +the Kansan glaciation (Frye and Leonard, 1952:192). This stream, and +the Republican River to the west, carried waters from the areas that +are now the Platte, Niobrara, and upper Missouri River basins (Lugn, +1935:153). Drainage was southward, through Oklahoma, until +establishment of the east-flowing Kansas River (Frye and Leonard, +1952:189-190). As Kansan ice receded the Blue and Republican rivers +retained what is now the Platte River Basin. The lower Platte River +developed and the surface drainage became distinct in the Iowan +(Tazwellian) portion of the Wisconsin glacial stage (Lugn, +1935:152-153). However, according to Lugn (1935:203) the Platte River +Basin contributes about 300,000 acre-feet of water per year to the Big +Blue and Republican rivers by percolation through sands and gravels +underlying the uplands that now separate the basins. + + + + +CLIMATE, POPULATION, AND LAND-USE + + +Climate of the Big Blue River Basin is of the subhumid continental +type, with an average annual precipitation of 22 inches in the +northwest and 30 inches in the southeast. The mean annual evaporation +from water surfaces exceeds annual precipitation by approximately 30 +inches (Colby, _et al._, 1956:32-33). + +The average annual temperature for the basin is 53° F. (Flora, +1948:148). According to Kincer (1941:704-705) the average temperature +in July, the warmest month, is 78° F., and the coolest month, January, +averages 28° F. Periods of extreme cold and heat are sometimes of long +duration. Length of the growing season varies from less than 160 days +in the northwest to 180 days in the southeast (Kincer, _loc. cit._). + +The human population of the Big Blue Basin varies from about 90 +persons per square mile in one Nebraska county in the northwest and +one Kansas county in the southeast, to as few as six persons per +square mile in some northeastern counties. The population is most +dense along the eastern border of the basin, decreasing toward the +west. This decrease in population is correlated with the decrease in +average annual precipitation from east to west (Colby, _et al._, +1956:80). + +The principal land-use in the Big Blue Watershed is tilled crops, with +wheat, sorghums, and corn being most important. Beef cattle are +important in some portions of the basin. Colby, _et al._ (1956:24) +reported that in 1954 as much as 55 per cent of the land in some +counties near the mouth of the Big Blue River was in pasture. Only one +Nebraska county had less than 15 per cent in pastureland. + + + + +PHYSICAL FEATURES OF STREAMS + + +Streams of the Big Blue River Basin are of three kinds: turbid, +sandy-bottomed streams, usually 150 to 300 feet in width; relatively +clear, mud-bottomed streams, ten to 60 feet in width; and clear, +deeply incised, gravel-bottomed streams, usually five to 30 feet in +width. + +SAND-BOTTOMED STREAMS.--The Big Blue and Little Blue rivers represent +this kind of stream. The bottoms of these rivers consist almost +entirely of fine sand; nevertheless, their channels are primarily deep +and fairly uniform in width, rather than broad, shallow, and braided +as in the larger Kansas and Arkansas rivers in Kansas (Plate 11, Fig. +1). In the Big Blue River, gravel occurs rarely on riffles, and +gravel-rubble bottoms are found below dams (Plate 11, Fig. 2). The Big +Blue flows over a larger proportion of gravelly bottom than does the +Little Blue. + +Big Blue River rises at about 1,800 feet above mean sea level and +joins the Kansas River at an elevation of 1,000 feet above m. s. l. +The average gradient is 2.8 feet per mile. Little Blue River, +originating at 2,200 feet, has an average gradient of 5.3 feet per +mile, entering the Big Blue at 1,100 feet above mean sea level +(Nebraska State Planning Board, 1936:628, 637). The Little Blue is the +shallower stream, possibly because of the greater amount of sandy +glacial deposits in its watershed and the swift flow that may cause +lateral cutting, increased movement, and "drifting" of the sandy +bottom. + +For approximately a 50-year period, stream-flow in the Big Blue River +at its point of entry into Kansas (Barnston, Nebraska) averaged 603 +cubic feet per second, with maximum and minimum instantaneous flows of +57,700 c. f. s. and one c. f. s. The Little Blue River at Waterville, +Kansas, averaged a daily discharge of 601 c. f. s. (maximum 50,400, +minimum 28). Below the confluence of the Big Blue and Little Blue +rivers, at Randolph, Kansas, the average daily discharge was 1,690 +c.f.s. (maximum 98,000, minimum 31) (Kansas Water Resources +Fact-finding and Research Committee, 1955:27). + +The turbidity of the Big Blue River, as determined by use of a Jackson +turbidimeter, varied from 27 parts per million in winter (January 10, +1958) to as high as 14,000 p.p.m. (July 12, 1958). The Little Blue +River has similar turbidities, with high readings being frequent. In +the summer of 1957, pH ranged from 7.2 to 8.4 in the Big Blue River +Basin--values that correspond closely with those of Canfield and Wiebe +(1931:3) who made 25 determinations ranging from 7.3 to 8.3 in the +streams of the Nebraskan portion of this basin in July, 1930. Surface +temperatures at various stations varied from 38° F. on January 10, +1958, to 90° F. in backwater-areas on July 19, 1957. The average +surface temperature at mid-day in July and August, 1957, was +approximately 86.5° F. + +Chemical determinations were made on water-samples from my Station 4-S +on the Big Blue River, and Station 50-S on the Little Blue (Table 1). +These samples were taken from the surface in strong current. +Determinations were made by methods described in _Standard Methods for +the Examination of Water and Sewage_, 10th edition, 1955. + + + TABLE 1.--CHEMICAL DETERMINATIONS IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER AT FIVE + STATIONS IN THE BIG BLUE RIVER BASIN, KANSAS, 1958. + + TABLE LEGEND: + Column A: Phenolphthalein alkalinity + Column B: Methyl-orange alkalinity + Column C: Chlorides + Column D: Sulphates + Column E: Nitrates + Column F: Nitrites + Column G: Ammonia + Column H: Phosphate + + ==========+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+===== + STATION | | | | | | | | + AND | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H + DATE | | | | | | | | + ----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----- + 4-S | | | | | | | | + August 9 | 0.0 | 154 | 16 | 28 | 3.5 |.083 |.250 |.225 + | | | | | | | | + 50-S | | | | | | | | + August 9 | 0.0 | 125 | 24 | 20 | 2.5 |.669 |.427 |.240 + | | | | | | | | + 35-M | | | | | | | | + August 9 | 0.0 | 366 | 15 | 108 | 9.4 |.220 |.750 |.080 + | | | | | | | | + 11-G | | | | | | | | + July 8 | 0.0 | 272 | 15 | 60 | 4.5 |.060 |.625 |.140 + | | | | | | | | + 18-G | | | | | | | | + July 22 | 0.0 | 183 | 10 | 60 | 1.6 |.938 |.293 |.240 + ----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----- + + +The banks of both the Big Blue and Little Blue rivers support narrow +riparian forests comprised primarily of elm, _Ulmus americanus_, +cottonwood, _Populus deltoides_, sycamore, _Platanus occidentalis_, +and willow, _Salix_ spp. Maple, _Acer_ sp., oak, _Quercus_ spp., and +ash, _Fraxinus_ sp. occur where the rivers flow near steep, rocky +hillsides. Many of the hills are virgin bluestem prairies +(_Andropogon_ spp.), but the floodplains are heavily cultivated. + +MUD-BOTTOMED STREAMS.--Streams of this kind are present in the +watershed of the Black Vermillion River that enters Big Blue River +from the east. The area east of the Big Blue River and north of the +Black Vermillion River is till plains, where relief seldom exceeds 100 +feet (Walters, 1954:12). Streams in this portion of the basin, and +streams entering the Little Blue River from the west (Mill Creek and +Horseshoe Creek systems), tend to have V-shaped channels, fewer +riffles than the Little Blue and Big Blue rivers and in the gravelly +streams (to be described later), and have bottoms of mud or clay, with +few rocks (Plate 12, Fig. 1). However, in the extreme headwaters of +most western tributaries of the Little Blue River (in Washington and +Republic counties) sandy bottoms predominate. The Black Vermillion +River flows on a broad floodplain and is a mud-bottomed, sluggish +stream, with an average gradient of approximately one foot per mile. +Fringe-forests of elm, cottonwood, sycamore, and willow persist along +most of these stream-courses. + +Notwithstanding the mud bottoms, the water in this kind of stream in +the Big Blue Basin remains clearer than that of the Big Blue and +Little Blue rivers. Heavy algal blooms were noted in the Black +Vermillion River and Mill Creek, Washington County, in 1957 and 1958. +Temperatures at Stations 45-M and 46-M on Mill Creek, Washington +County, averaged 85.5° F. on July 31, 1957. Chemical characteristics +of a water-sample from Station 35-M, Black Vermillion River, are in +Table 1. + +GRAVEL-BOTTOMED STREAMS.--Most streams of this kind are tributary to +the Big Blue River; however, streams entering Black Vermillion River +from the south are also of this type (Plate 12, Fig. 2). The streams +are "characteristically a series of large pools (to 100 feet in length +and more than two feet in depth) connected by short riffles and +smaller pools" (Minckley and Cross, in press). The average gradients +are high: Carnahan Creek, 33 feet per mile; Mill Creek, Riley County, +21 feet; Clear Creek, 16 feet per mile. Stream-flow is usually less +than five cubic feet per second. In summer, these streams may become +intermittent, but springs and subsurface percolation maintain +pool-levels (Minckley and Cross, _loc. cit._). + +The average temperatures of these small streams (79.5° to 81.0° F. in +July and August, 1957) were lower than temperatures in stream-types +previously described. Turbidities were usually less than 25 p.p.m. The +chemical properties of water-samples from two of these streams +(Stations 11-G and 18-G) are listed in Table 1. + + + + +PREVIOUS RECORDS OF FISHES + + +The earliest records of fishes from the Big Blue River Basin are those +of Cragin (1885) and Graham (1885) in independently published lists of +the fishes of Kansas. Meek (1895) recorded fishes collected in 1891 +"from both branches of the Blue River, a few miles west of Crete, +Nebraska." Evermann and Cox (1896) reported five collections from the +Nebraskan part of the basin. Their collections were made in October, +1892, and August, 1893, and the stations were: in 1892, Big Blue River +at Crete; in 1893, Big Blue River at Seward, Lincoln Creek at Seward +and York, and Beaver Creek at York. + +Canfield and Wiebe (1931) obtained fish from 18 localities in Nebraska +in July, 1930; however, their major concern was determination of water +quality. Their stations were: Big Blue River at Stromsburg, Polk Co.; +Surprise and Ulysses, Butler Co.; Staplehurst, Seward, and Milford, +Seward Co.; Crete and Wilber, Saline Co.; Beatrice, Blue Springs, and +Barnston, Gage Co.; Little Blue River at Fairbury, Jefferson Co.; +Hebron, Thayer Co.; Sandy Creek at Alexandria, Thayer Co.; West Fork +of Big Blue River at Stockham, Hamilton Co.; McCool Junction, York +Co.; Beaver Crossing, Seward Co.; and Beaver Creek at York, York Co. + +Breukelman (1940) and Jennings (1942) listed fishes from the +University of Kansas Museum of Natural History and the Kansas State +College Museum, respectively, including some specimens collected from +the Big Blue River System in Kansas. Because records in these two +papers pertain to collections that were widely spaced in the basin and +in time, the specific localities are not given herein. One of +Jennings' (_loc. cit.)_ records, _Scaphirhynchus platorynchus_ +(Rafinesque), was cited by Bailey and Cross (1954:191). More recently, +Minckley and Cross (in press) recorded several localities, and cited +some papers mentioned above, in a publication dealing with _Notropis +topeka_ (Gilbert) in Kansas. + +Information on the fishes of the Nebraskan portion of the Big Blue +River Basin was compiled, and additional localities were reported, in +a doctoral thesis by Dr. Raymond E. Johnson, entitled The Distribution +of Nebraska Fishes, 1942, at the University of Michigan. + + + + +METHODS AND MATERIALS + + +_Collection of Fishes_ + +The gear and techniques used are listed below: + +ENTRAPMENT DEVICES.--Hoop and fyke nets and wire traps were used for +288 trap/net hours in 1957. The nets were not baited, and were set +parallel to the current, with the mouths downstream. Hoop nets were +1½ to three feet in diameter at the first hoop, with a pot-mesh of +one inch; fyke nets were three feet at the first hoop, pot-mesh of +one inch; wire traps, with an opening at each end, were 2½ feet in +diameter and covered with one-inch-mesh, galvanized chicken wire. + +GILL NETS.--Experimental gill nets were set on three occasions in +areas with little current. These nets were 125 feet in length, with +3/4 to two inch bar-mesh in 25-foot sections. + +SEINES.--Seining was used more than other methods. An attempt was made +to seine all habitats at each station. In swift water, seine-hauls +were usually made downstream, but in quiet areas seining was done +randomly. Haul-seines six to 60 feet in length, three to eight feet in +depth, and with meshes of 1/8 to 1/2 inch were used. For collection of +riffle-fishes, the seine was planted below a selected area and the +bottom was kicked violently by one member of the party, while one or +two persons held the seine, raising it when the area had been +thoroughly disturbed. Seining on riffles was done with a four-foot by +four-foot bobbinet seine. + +ROTENONE.--Rotenone was used in pools of smaller streams, mouths of +creeks, borrow-pits, and cut-off areas. Both powdered and emulsifiable +rotenone were used. The rotenone was mixed with water and applied by +hand, or into the backwash of an outboard motor. + +ELECTRIC SHOCKER.--The electrical unit used in this study generated +115 volts and 600 to 700 watts, alternating current. The shocking unit +consisted of two booms, each with two electrodes, mounted on and +operated from a slowly moving boat. Fish were recovered in scape nets, +or in many cases were identified as they lay stunned and were not +collected. + + +_Estimation of Relative Abundance_ + +Data on relative abundance of fishes were obtained by counts of seine +hauls at 29 of the 59 stations, counts of rotenoned fish at seven +stations, and results with the electric shocker at nine stations. +Counts were usually made in the field; however, in some collections +all fish were preserved and counted in the laboratory. Some fish (or +"swirls" presumed to be fish) observed while shocking were not +identified and are not included in the calculations. However, all fish +positively identified while shocking are included. + + +_Age and Growth of Fishes_ + +Fish from selected size-groups were aged in this study. Scales for +age-determinations were removed from positions recommended by Lagler +(1952:108). Scales were placed in water between glass slides and were +read on a standard scale-projection device. + +Pectoral spines of catfish were removed from one or both sides, +sectioned, and read by methods described by Marzolf (1955:243-244). + +Calculation of length at the last annulus for both scale-fish and +catfish was made by direct proportion. All measurements are of total +length to the nearest tenth of an inch unless specified otherwise. + + +_Creel Census_ + +From April 6 to May 28, 1957, a creel census was taken below Turtle +Creek Dam. From June 16 to July 24, 1958, I periodically visited the +main points of access to the Big Blue River, beginning approximately +eight miles downstream from Tuttle Creek Dam and ending six miles +upstream from the maximal extension of the reservoir at capacity +level. Access-points consisted of 11 bridges, two power dams, and +three areas where county roads approached the river. Eleven eight-hour +days were spent in the 1957 census and 22 checks in 15 days were made +in 1958. An equal number of morning (6:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon) and +afternoon (12:00 noon to 8:30 p.m.) checks were made. + +Fishermen contacted were asked the following questions: home address +(or residence at the time of the fishing trip); time they started +fishing; kind of fish sought; number and kinds of fish in possession; +and baits used. Also, the number of poles and type of fishing (from +the bank, from boat, _etc._) were recorded. Fishes caught were +examined to confirm identifications. About 80 per cent of all +fishermen seen were contacted. + +Fish per man-hour, as used in this report, refers to the average +number of fish of all species caught by one fisherman in one hour. +Fisherman-day is the average time spent fishing in one day by one +person. Because some fishermen used more than one pole, the data are +also expressed as catch per pole-hour. + + + + +COLLECTING STATIONS + + +In the list that follows, stations are numbered consecutively from the +mouth of the Big Blue River, listing stations on each tributary as it +is ascended. The letters following station-numbers indicate the +general type of stream: S = sandy; M = muddy; and G = gravelly. The +Big Blue River is the boundary between Riley and Pottawatomie +counties, Kansas, along part of its length. Stations in this area have +been designated Riley County. The legal description of each station is +followed by the date(s) of collection, and each station is plotted in +Figure 2. + + [Illustration: FIG. 2. Collection stations in the Big Blue + River Basin, Kansas, 1957 and 1958.] + + [Illustration: PLATE 11 + + FIG. 1. Big Blue River at Station 3-S. U.S. Army Corps of + Engineers photograph No. 563697. + + FIG. 2. Big Blue River at Oketo, Marshall County, Kansas. U.S. + Army Corps of Engineers, photograph No. 67516.] + + [Illustration: PLATE 12 + + FIG. 1. Black Vermillion River, approximately one mile upstream + from its mouth. Photograph by Robert G. Webb. + + FIG. 2. Carnahan Creek at Station 11-G. Photograph by Robert G. + Webb.] + + 1-S: Pottawatomie Co., mouth of Big Blue River, Sec. 16, T. 10S, R. 8E, + June 20, 1958. + + 2-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 4, T. 10S, R. 8E, June 6, 12, and + 14, 1957. + + 3-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, E ½, Sec. 30, T. 9S, R. 8E, Mar. 30, + Apr. 6, July 15, 16, 17, Aug. 14, and Dec. 26, 1957; Apr. 26, June + 20, and Aug. 5, 1958. + + 4-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River at Rocky Ford Dam, W ½, Sec. 30, T. 9S, + R. 8E, Aug. 14, 1957; and Aug. 5, 1958. + + 5-G: Pottawatomie Co., McIntire Creek, Sec. 12, T. 9S, R. 7E, July 14, + 1958. + + 6-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River and adjacent borrow-pit, Sec. 24, T. 9S, + R. 7E, July 18 and 19, 1957; and July 11, 1958. + + 7-G: Riley Co., Tuttle Creek, Sec. 10, T. 9S, R. 7E, Aug. 5, 1958. + + 8-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 10, T. 9S, R. 7E, Aug. 14, 1957. + + 9-G: Riley Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 4, T. 9S, R. 7E, July 20 and 25, 1958. + + 10-G: Riley Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 2, T. 9S, R. 6E, Aug. 13, 1957. + + 11-G: Pottawatomie Co., Carnahan Creek, Sec. 22, 27, and 34, T. 8S, + R. 7E, Aug. 1, 1957; and July 8, 1958. + + 12-G: Pottawatomie Co., unnamed tributary to Carnahan Creek, Sec. 15, + T. 8S, R. 7E, Mar. 19, 1956 (collection made before my formal study + was begun). + + 13-G: Pottawatomie Co., Carnahan Creek, Sec. 36, T. 7S, R. 7E, Aug. 13, + 1957. + + 14-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 18, T. 8S, R. 7E, Mar. 22, 1958. + + 15-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 7, T. 8S, R. 7E, Apr. 3, and June + 12, 1958. + + 16-G: Riley Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 1, T. 8S, R. 6E, July 10, and Aug. + 5, 1958. + + 17-G: Riley Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 10, T. 8S, R. 6E, June 26, 1958. + + 18-G: Riley Co., Fancy Creek, Sec. 14, T. 7S, R. 6E, July 29, 1957. + + 19-G: Riley Co., Walnut Creek, Sec. 20, T. 7S, R. 6E, June 26, 1958. + + 20-G: Riley Co., Fancy Creek, Sec. 2, T. 7S, R. 5E, Mar. 13, 1957; and + June 26, 1958. + + 21-G: Riley Co., Schoolhouse Branch, Sec. 35, T. 6S, R. 5E, July 22, + 1958. + + 22-G: Riley Co., Fancy Creek, Sec. 33, T. 6S, R. 5E, June 1, 1957. + + 23-G: Riley Co., West Branch Fancy Creek, Sec. 32 and 33, T. 6S, R. 5E, + June 1 and 3, 1957. + + 24-G: Clay Co., West Branch Fancy Creek, Sec. 32 and 33, T. 6S, R. 4E, + July 22, 1958. + + 25-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 5, T. 7S, R. 7E, Aug. 7, 1958. + + 26-G: Riley Co., Swede Creek, Sec. 21, T. 6S, R. 7E, Mar. 22, 1958. + + 27-G: Pottawatomie Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 14, T. 6S, R. 7E, Sept. 10, + 1957. + + 28-G: Pottawatomie Co., Bluff Creek, Sec. 6, T. 6S, R. 8E, Oct. 6, + 1957. + + 29-G: Pottawatomie Co., Bluff Creek, Sec. 15, T. 6S, R. 8E, June 29, + 1958. + + 30-M: Marshall Co., Black Vermillion River, Sec. 9, T. 5S, R. 8E, Mar. + 5, 1958. + + 31-G: Pottawatomie Co., Clear Creek, Sec. 3, T. 6S, R. 9E, July 14, + 1958. + + 32-G: Pottawatomie Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 14, T. 6S, R. 9E, July 14, + 1958. + + 33-M: Marshall Co., Robidoux Creek, Sec. 20, T. 2S, R. 9E, July 23, + 1958. + + 34-M: Marshall Co., Little Timber Creek, Sec. 10, T. 4S, R. 9E, Oct. 6, + 1957. + + 35-M: Marshall Co., Black Vermillion River, Sec. 15, T. 4S, R. 9E, Aug. + 9, 1958. + + 36-M: Marshall Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 8, T. 4S, R. 9E, Oct. 6, 1957. + + 37-M: Marshall Co., Black Vermillion River, Sec. 11, T. 4S, R. 10E, + Oct. 6, 1957. + + 38-S: Marshall Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 18, T. 5S, R. 8E, Aug. 8, + 1958. + + 39-S: Marshall Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 20, T. 4S, R. 7E, May 29, + 1958. + + 40-M: Washington Co., Coon Creek, Sec. 27, T. 4S, R. 4E, July 22, 1958. + + 41-S: Marshall Co., Little Blue River, Sec. 9, 16, and 17, T. 4S, R. + 6E, June 27, 1958. + + 42-S: Washington Co., Little Blue River, Sec. 21, T. 3S, R. 5E, Aug. 8, + 1958. + + 43-S: Washington Co., Little Blue River, Sec. 5 and 8, T. 3S, R. 5E, + July 30, 1957. + + 44-S: Washington Co., Little Blue River, Sec. 36, T. 1S, R. 4E, July + 31, 1957. + + 45-M: Washington Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 35 and 36, T. 1S, R. 4E, July + 31, 1957. + + 46-M: Washington Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 4, T. 2S, R. 4E, July 31, 1957. + + 47-M: Washington Co., Spring Creek, Sec. 11 and 12, T. 2S, R. 3E, June + 19, 1958. + + 48-M: Washington Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 28, T. 2S, R. 2E, June 19, 1958. + + 49-M: Republic Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 8 and 17, T. 2S, R. 1W, July 23, + 1958. + + 50-S: Washington Co., Little Blue River, Sec. 5, T. 1S, R. 4E, Aug. 9, + 1958. + + 51-M: Republic Co., Rose Creek, Sec. 20, T. 1S, R. 2W, July 23, 1958. + + 52-S: Marshall Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 6, T. 4S, R. 7E, Aug. 6, 1958. + + 53-S: Marshall Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 18, T. 3S, R. 7E, July 29 and + 30, 1957; May 28, and Aug. 6, 1958. + + 54-G: Marshall Co., Hop Creek, Sec. 13 and 18, T. 3S, R. 7E, May 28, + 1958. + + 55-M: Marshall Co., Spring Creek, Sec. 29, T. 2S, R. 8E, July 9, 1958. + + 56-S: Marshall Co., Big Blue River at Marysville Dam, Sec. 20, T. 2S, + R. 7E, June 16, 1958. + + 57-M: Marshall Co., Horseshoe Creek, Sec. 6, T. 2S, R. 7E, July 1, + 1958. + + 58-G: Marshall Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 2, T. 1S, R. 7E, July 1, 1958. + + 59-G: Marshall Co., Mission Creek, Sec. 3, T. 1S, R. 8E, Nov. 30, 1957. + + + + +ANNOTATED LIST OF SPECIES + + +Forty-eight species were obtained in this survey and five others +have been recorded in literature or are deposited in museums: KSC = +Kansas State College Museum; and UMMZ = University of Michigan +Museum of Zoology. Specimens, unless designated otherwise, are in +the University of Kansas Museum of Natural History (KU). + +In this list, the scientific name of each species is followed by the +common name, citations of previous records, and the stations where +the species was obtained. I follow Bailey (1956:328-329) in treating +_Lepisosteus osseus_ (Linnaeus), _Catostomus commersonnii_ +(Lacépède), _Semotilus atromaculatus_ (Mitchill), _Notropis +lutrensis_ (Baird and Girard), _Pimephales promelas_ Rafinesque, +_Ictalurus melas_ (Rafinesque), _Ictalurus punctatus_ (Rafinesque), +and _Lepomis macrochirus_ Rafinesque, in binomial form only. + +=Scaphirhynchus platorynchus= (Rafinesque), shovelnose sturgeon: +Jennings (1942:364) as _Scaphirhynchus platorhynchus_ (Rafinesque); +Bailey and Cross (1954:191). Stations 3-S and 4-S. + +Shovelnose sturgeon were found only in the lower portion of the Big +Blue River. On April 20, 1957, many were seen in fishermen's creels +at Stations 3-S and 4-S. One male and two females that I examined on +that date were ripe or nearly so; eggs seemed well developed and +milt flowed freely from the male. After April, 1957, none was +collected or observed until April 26, 1958, when one specimen was +obtained while shocking. Forbes and Richardson (1920:27) reported +that shovelnose sturgeon spawn in Illinois between April and June, +and Eddy and Surber (1947:80) reported spawning in May and early +June in Wisconsin and Minnesota. + +=Lepisosteus platostomus= Rafinesque, shortnose gar: Jennings +(1942:364). Stations 3-S and 4-S. + +I saw shortnose gar at various times in 1956 and 1957 at Rocky Ford +Dam on the Big Blue River (Station 4-S). One was seen while shocking +at Station 3-S on December 26, 1957. + +=Lepisosteus osseus= (Linnaeus), longnose gar: Jennings (1942:364) +as _Lepisosteus osseus oxyurus_ Rafinesque. Stations 1-S, 2-S, 3-S, +4-S, 6-S, 8-S, 9-G, 15-S, 18-G, 25-S, 41-S, 44-S, 52-S, and 53-S. + +Longnose gar were abundant in the mainstream of the Big Blue River +but usually evaded capture. This species, and the shortnose gar, +resided in the larger rivers, with _L. osseus_ being taken in only +two creeks near their mouths. In periods of high water, gar moved +into the flooded creeks, but returned to the river as stream-levels +subsided. + +Young-of-the-year _L. osseus_, averaging 21.5 mm. in total length +(range 13 to 30 mm.), were taken on June 14, 1957, and larger young +(estimated 60 to 70 mm. total length) were taken on June 27, 1958. + +=Dorosoma cepedianum= (LeSueur), gizzard shad: Jennings (1942:364). +Stations 1-S, 3-S, 4-S, 6-S, 8-S, 44-S, 45-M, and 53-S. + +Most gizzard shad were young-of-the-year, taken on July 16 and 17, +1957, at Stations 3-S and 4-S. Twenty specimens from Station 6-S +that were in their second summer of life were from 3.8 to 5.9 inches +total length at the last annulus (average 4.3). This species was +usually found in quiet water and was most abundant near the mouth of +the Big Blue River. + +=Hiodon alosoides= (Rafinesque), goldeye. Stations 3-S, 4-S, and +53-S. + +I caught five specimens of _H. alosoides_ from the Big Blue River, +and another specimen, obtained by Dr. R. B. Moorman in 1954, is at +Kansas State College (KSC 4984). + +One goldeye that I caught on April 20, 1956, prior to the beginning +of my study, was a ripe female measuring 15.5 inches total +length. The fish was beginning its seventh summer of life. + +=Cycleptus elongatus= LeSueur, blue sucker. The blue sucker is +included on the basis of a single specimen (KSC 2917) collected +by I. D. Graham and labeled "Blue River." No other data are with +the specimen; however, most fishes deposited at Kansas State College +by Graham are dated "1885" or "1886" and were caught near +"Manhattan" (Riley County). + +=Ictiobus cyprinella= (Valenciennes), bigmouth buffalo. Stations +3-S, 6-S, and 30-M. + +Bigmouth buffalo were rare, and were taken only in quiet parts of +larger streams, and in the borrow-pit at Station 6-S. + +=Ictiobus niger= (Rafinesque), black buffalo. Stations 3-S, 41-S, +and 53-S. + +Only four individuals of _I. niger_ were taken. All were large +adults (more than 20 inches in total length), and all were shocked +in the deeper, swifter areas, where the channel narrowed. + +=Ictiobus bubalus= (Rafinesque), smallmouth buffalo. Stations 1-S, +3-S, 6-S, 7-G, 18-G, 38-S, 41-S, 43-S, 46-M, and 53-S. + +This species was found in relatively quiet waters in the main +channel, in cut-off areas, and in creek-mouths. The ages and total +lengths of 30 individuals obtained at Station 6-S were (average +followed by number of fish in parentheses): I, 2.4 (11); II, 4.4 +(14); and III, 6.6 (5). + +Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6-7, 10) recorded "buffalo-fish" and +"buffalo" from the Big Blue Basin in Nebraska; however, no specific +designation was given. + +=Carpiodes forbesi= Hubbs, plains carpsucker. Station 3-S. + +This represents the first record known to me of the plains +carpsucker from Kansas. The specimen (KU 4180), 430 mm. in standard +length, has the following characters: lower lip without a median, +nipple-like projection; dorsal fin-rays, 25; lateral-line scales, +38; diameter of orbit into distance from anterior nostril to tip of +snout, 1.1; body-depth into standard length, 3.3; and head-length +into standard length, 3.9. The specimen was taken while shocking a +wide, shallow channel, over sand bottom. + +=Carpiodes carpio carpio= (Rafinesque), river carpsucker: Jennings +(1942:364). Stations 1-S, 2-S, 3-S, 4-S, 5-G, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, 9-G, +11-G, 14-S, 15-S, 18-G, 19-G, 23-G, 25-S, 27-G, 28-G, 30-M, 38-S, +39-S, 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, 44-S, 45-M, 50-S, 52-S, and 53-S. + +The river carpsucker occurred at most stations on the larger +streams, and in many of the smaller tributaries. In smaller streams +_C. c. carpio_ frequented the largest pools, in or near the +floodplains of larger streams. A marked preference for still water, +soft, silty bottoms, and areas with drift or other cover was +apparent; however, the species also occurred in open waters with +moderate to swift currents. + +The sizes attained by the river carpsucker at different ages were +(averages followed by number of fish in parentheses): I, 1.9 (10); +II, 3.9 (5); III, 5.3 (8); IV, 7.7 (5); V, 11.9 (2); VI, 11.6 (7); +VII, 12.8 (6); VIII, 13.1 (1); IX, 14.9 (2); X, 15.8 (8); and XI, +17.6 (1). These averages are significantly less than those reported +by Buchholz (1957:594) for the river carpsucker in the Des Moines +River, Iowa. + +Examination of the gonads of river carpsucker in summer, 1957, +indicated that spawning occurred in late July. Young-of-the-year, +averaging 21 mm. in total length, first appeared in my collections +on July 30, 1957. + +=Carpiodes velifer= (Rafinesque), highfin carpsucker: Meek +(1895:135); Evermann and Cox (1896:389). + +The highfin carpsucker was not taken in my survey. Meek (1895:135) +reported "this small sucker [_C. velifer_] ... common in Blue River +at Crete," characterizing the specimens as having "Dorsal rays, 24 +to 30; scales in the lateral-line, 36 to 41; head 3½ to 4; and +depth 2½ to 3." The ranges in the number of dorsal rays and the +number of scales in the lateral-line are higher than usual in _C. +velifer_, or in _C. c. carpio_, which is now common in the Big Blue +River Basin. Both species normally have 33 to 37 lateral-line scales +and 27 or fewer dorsal rays (Bailey, 1956:352-353; Moore, 1957:79; +and Trautman, 1957:81-82). The other characters listed by Meek would +fit the young and some adults of either species, or possibly a +composite including _C. forbesi_. + +Graham (1885:72) and Cragin (1885:107) reported _Ictiobus velifer_ +(= _Carpiodes velifer_) from "Eureka Lake," Riley County, Kansas. +This lake, which no longer exists, was in the Kansas River Valley, +about ten miles upstream from the mouth of the Big Blue River. +Other, more recent records from the Kansas River Basin, in the +vicinity of the Big Blue River, are: Maple Leaf Lake, Riley Co., +Oct. 4, 1925; Deep Creek, Riley Co., no date; Wildcat Creek, Riley +Co., Sept. 7, 1923; and Wildcat Creek, Riley Co., Sept. 29, 1925 +(UMMZ 122187-90). Most of the collections were made by Minna E. +Jewell (Nelson, personal communication). + +=Moxostoma aureolum= (LeSueur), northern redhorse: Cragin (1885:108) +as _Moxostoma macrolepidotum_ LeSueur; Meek (1895:136) as _Moxostoma +macrolepidotum duquesnei_ (LeSueur); Evermann and Cox (1896:394-395); +and Jennings (1942:364) as _Moxostoma erythrurum_ (Rafinesque). +Stations 41-S, 43-S, 44-S, and 53-S. + +I collected three northern redhorse from the Big Blue River Basin, and +another specimen was seined in the mouth of Mill Creek, Riley County +(my present Station 9-G) by the Kansas State College class in +fisheries management in 1954 (KSC 5068). I reidentify as _M. aureolum_ +the two specimens recorded by Jennings (_loc. cit._) as _M. +erythrurum_. + +The subspecific status of _M. aureolum_ in the Kansas River Basin is +to be the subject of another paper. + +=Catostomus commersonnii= (Lacépède), white sucker: Canfield and Wiebe +(1931:8) as "common suckers"; and Breukelman (1940:380). Stations 7-G, +11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 18-G, 19-G, 23-G, 29-G, 31-G, 53-S, 57-M, and +58-G. + +The white sucker occurred primarily in upland streams of the Flint +Hills, with one occurrence in muddy habitat, and one in the main +stream of the Big Blue River. Young _C. commersonnii_ were often +taken in riffles, but adults were in the larger, deeper pools. The +ages and total lengths at the last annulus for 12 white suckers +were: I, 2.8 (4); II, 3.9 (6); III, 8.2 (1); and IV, 9.2 (1). + +=Cyprinus carpio= Linnaeus, carp: Canfield and Wiebe (1931:5-8, 10) +as "carp." Stations 1-S, 2-S, 3-S, 4-S, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, 15-S, 16-G, +18-G, 23-G, 24-G, 25-S, 27-G, 30-M, 35-M, 38-S, 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, +44-S, 45-M, 52-S, 53-S, and 56-S. + +Carp occurred throughout the basin. The habitat of this species +closely approximated that of the river carpsucker; however, carp +were more often taken in moderate to swift water than were _C. c. +carpio_. + +The ages and average lengths at the last annulus for 40 carp from +the Big Blue River Basin were: I, 2.3 (4); II, 4.7 (10); III, 7.0 +(10); IV, 9.0 (3); V, 11.3 (4); VI, 18.6 (1); VII, 18.9 (3); VIII, +no fish; IX, 20.6 (3); X, 19.1 (2); XI, 21.1 (1); XII, 22.0 (1); and +XIII, 24.1 (2). + +=Carassius auratus= (Linnaeus), goldfish. Station 4-S. + +I saw goldfish seined from Station 4-S by anglers obtaining bait on +April 20, 1957. Goldfish were commonly used for bait at Stations 4-S +and 54-S. + +=Semotilus atromaculatus= (Mitchill), creek chub: Evermann and Cox +(1896:399); and Jennings (1942:364) as _Semotilus atromaculatus +atromaculatus_ (Mitchill). Stations 5-G, 7-G, 10-G, 11-G, 12-G, +13-G, 16-G, 17-G, 18-G, 23-G, 24-G, 27-G, 28-G, 29-G, 31-G, 32-G, +33-M, 34-M, 36-M, 37-M, 40-M, 46-M, 47-M, 48-M, 49-M, 50-S, 53-S, +54-G, 55-M, 56-S, 57-M, 58-G, and 59-G. + +Creek chubs were found in all habitats in the Big Blue River Basin, +but were abundant only in the headwaters of muddy streams and in +clear upland creeks. + +=Chrosomus erythrogaster= (Rafinesque), southern redbelly dace: +Jennings (1942:365). Stations 11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 27-G, 29-G, +and 53-S. + +This colorful species occupied the headwaters of the clear, +spring-fed creeks where it was abundant. Only one specimen was taken +in muddy or sandy habitat (at the mouth of a small creek at Station +53-S), where it may have been washed by floods just prior to my +collecting. + +=Hybopsis storeriana= (Kirtland), silver chub. Station 3-S. + +One specimen of _H. storeriana_ (KU 3810) was seined in swift water +near a sandbar on April 6, 1957, and another was taken at the same +locality on April 26, 1958. + +=Hybopsis aestivalis= (Girard), speckled chub: Meek (1895:137); and +Evermann and Cox (1896:409), both as _Hybopsis hyostomus_ Gilbert. +Stations 3-S, 4-S, 14-S, 25-S, 38-S, 39-S, 50-S, and 56-S. + +This species was restricted to wide, swift parts of the Big Blue and +Little Blue rivers, and was found over clean, sometimes shifting, +sand bottoms. On May 29, 1958, three males in breeding condition +were collected and on June 16, 1958, a large series of both male and +female _H. aestivalis_, all with well-developed gonads, was +collected. The water temperature was 77.0°F. Hubbs and Ortenburger +(1929:25-26) reported that _Extrarius tetranemus_ (Gilbert) (= +_Hybopsis aestivalis tetranemus_) spawns in summer especially in +early July. Cross (1950:135) reported a single pair of _H. a. +tetranemus_ that he considered in breeding condition on June 9, +1948. + +Breukelman (1940:380) recorded speckled chubs in the Kansas River +Basin as _Extrarius_ (= _Hybopsis_) _aestivalis_: _sesquialis_ × +_tetranemus_; however, the name _sesquialis_ is a _nomen nudum_, +and the status of this species in the Kansas River Basin is yet to +be elucidated. + +=Phenacobius mirabilis= (Girard), plains suckermouth minnow: Meek +(1895:136); and Evermann and Cox (1896:408). Stations 2-S, 3-S, 4-S, +5-G, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, 9-G, 11-G, 16-G, 18-G, 25-S, 26-G, 27-G, 35-M, +38-S, 39-S, 40-M, 42-S, 47-M, 50-S, 52-S, 53-S, 54-G, and 56-S. + +_Phenacobius mirabilis_ was widespread in the basin, occurring most +frequently on riffles over bottoms of clean sand or gravel. +Young-of-the-year were usually taken in backwaters. + +=Notropis percobromus= (Cope), plains shiner. Stations 3-S and 4-S. + +The plains shiner occurred only in the lower part of the main stream +of the Big Blue River. + +=Notropis rubellus= (Agassiz), rosyface shiner. Station 5-G. + +One rosyface shiner (KU 4195) was taken. This species was previously +reported from only two localities in the Kansas River Basin: in the +Mill Creek Watershed, Wabaunsee County, and Blacksmith Creek, +Shawnee County as _Notropis rubrifrons_ (Cope) (Gilbert, 1886:208). +Mill Creek and Blacksmith Creek are northward-flowing tributaries of +the Kansas River that arise in the Flint Hills. Graham (1885:73) +also recorded _N. rubellus_ (as _N. rubrifrons_) from the "Kansas +and Missouri Rivers"; however, I suspect that his specimens were +_Notropis percobromus_, a species not generally recognized in +Graham's time (see Hubbs, 1945:16-17). _Notropis rubellus_ is now +abundant in the Mill Creek Watershed (Wabaunsee County), but, except +for my specimen No. 4195, has not been taken recently in other +streams in the Kansas River Basin. + +=Notropis umbratilis umbratilis= (Girard), redfin shiner. Station +3-S. + +One specimen of _N. u. umbratilis_ was captured near a sandbar on +March 26, 1958. The absence of this species in Flint Hills streams +of the Big Blue River Basin is unexplained; redfin shiners occur +commonly in southern tributaries of the Kansas River both upstream +and downstream from the mouth of the Big Blue River. In Kansas this +species is usually associated with the larger pools of clear, upland +streams. + +Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6-8) may have referred to this species in +recording "black-fin minnows" from the Nebraskan portion of the Big +Blue River Basin. + +=Notropis cornutus frontalis= (Agassiz), common shiner. Stations +4-S, 5-G, 7-G, 10-G, 11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 18-G, 22-G, 26-G, 27-G, 28-G, +29-G, 31-G, 32-G, and 59-G. + +Common shiners were most abundant in middle sections of the clear, +gravelly creeks. + +=Notropis lutrensis= (Baird and Girard), red shiner: Meek +(1895:136); and Evermann and Cox (1896:404-405). All stations +excepting 1-S, 17-G, 30-M, and 51-M. + +Red shiners were the most widespread species taken in my survey, +occurring in all habitats, and in all kinds of streams. On two +occasions I observed what apparently was spawning behavior of this +species. Both times the specimens collected were in the height of +breeding condition, stripping in the hand easily, and often without +pressure. At the first locality (Station 29-G) no attempt was made +to obtain eggs, but by disturbing the bottom at the second (55-M) I +found eggs that were thought to be those of red shiners. The eggs +were slightly adhesive, clinging to the hand and to the bobbinet +seine. + +On June 29, 1958, at Station 29-G, red shiners appeared to be +spawning in an open-water area measuring about 15 by 15 feet, over +nests of _Lepomis cyanellus_ Rafinesque and _L. humilis_ (Girard). +No interspecific activity was noted between the sunfish and the red +shiners. Water temperature at this station was 73.4°F., and the +bottom was gravel, sand, and mud. Observations were made from a high +cut-bank, by naked eye and by use of 7-X binoculars. + +The red shiners moved rapidly at the surface of the water, with one +male (rarely two or more) following one female. The male followed +closely, passing the female and causing her to change direction. At +the moment of the female's hesitation, prior to her turn, the male +would erect his fins in display, at the side and a little in front +of the female. After brief display, usually less than two seconds, +the male resumed the chase, swimming behind and around the female in +a spiral fashion. After a chase of two to three feet, the female +would sometimes allow the male to approach closely on her left side. +The male nudged the female on the caudal peduncle and in the anal +region, moving alongside with his head near the lower edge of the +left operculum of the female, thus placing his genital pore about a +head-length behind and below that of the female. At this time +spawning must have occurred; however, possibly because of the speed +of the chase, I observed no vibration of the fish as described for +other species of _Notropis_ at the culmination of spawning +(Pfeiffer, 1955:98; Raney, 1947:106; and others). While the spawning +act presumably occurred the pair was in forward motion in a straight +course, for three to five feet, at the end of which the male moved +rapidly away, gyrating to the side and down. The female then swam +away at a slower rate. In instances when the female failed to allow +the male to move alongside, the male sometimes increased his speed, +striking the female, and often causing her to jump from the water. + +Some conflict between males was observed, usually when two or more +followed one female. The males would leave the female, swerve to one +side, and stop, facing each other or side by side. At this moment +the fins were greatly elevated in display. There was usually a rush +on the part of one male, resulting in the flight of the other, and +the aggressive male would pursue for about two feet. Many times the +pursued male jumped from the water. + +At Station 55-M, on July 9, 1958, activity similar to that described +above was observed in a small pool near a mass of debris. At this +station I watched from the bank, three feet from the spawning +shiners. Water temperature was not recorded. + +The minnows performed the same types of chase and display, all in +open water, as described for Station 29-G, However, at Station 55-M, +much activity of males occurred near the small deposit of debris. It +seemed that conflict was taking place, with males behaving as +described above, and milling violently about. Examination of the +area revealed nests of _L. cyanellus_ near the debris, and some of +the activity by the shiners may have been raids on nests of the +sunfish. However, females nearing the group of males were +immediately chased by one to four individual males, with one usually +continuing pursuit after a short chase by the group. The male again +moved into position at the lower left edge of the operculum of the +female as at Station 29-G. + +Another kind of behavior was observed also, in which the female +sometimes stopped. The male approached, erecting his fins and +arching his body to the left. The female also assumed this arch to +the left, and the pair moved in a tight, counter-clockwise circle, +with the male on the inside. After a short period in this position, +the male moved aside in display, and gyrated to the side and down. +Females at both stations moved about slowly, usually remaining in +the immediate vicinity of activity by males, and returning to the +area even when pursued and deserted some distance away. + +=Notropis deliciosus= (Girard), sand shiner: Meek (1895:136); +Evermann and Cox (1896:402), both as _Notropis blennius_ (Girard); +and Jennings (1942:365) as _Notropis deliciosus missuriensis_ +(Cope). All stations excepting 1-S, 10-G, 12-G, 17-G, 20-G, 21-G, +22-G, 24-G, 29-G, 30-M, 31-G, 32-G, 33-M, 35-M, 51-M, 55-M, 57-M, +58-G, and 59-G. + +Nelson (personal communication) has studied the sand shiner in +Kansas, and has found that the Big Blue River is an area of +intergradation between the southwestern subspecies (_deliciosus_) +and the plains subspecies (_missuriensis_). _Notropis d. deliciosus_ +prefers cool, rocky habitat, and occurs in small streams of the +Flint Hills, whereas _N. d. missuriensis_ occupies the sandy, turbid +Big Blue and Little Blue rivers. Intergrades occur most frequently +in the Big Blue River, but are found in all habitats. + +=Notropis topeka= (Gilbert), Topeka shiner: Meek (1895:136); +Evermann and Cox (1896:403); and Minckley and Cross (in press). +Stations 10-G, 11-G, 12-G, 19-G, 31-G, and 32-G. + +This species was common locally in the upland streams. Female Topeka +shiners stripped easily at Station 11-G on July 8, 1958, and adult +_N. topeka_ in high breeding condition were collected at Station +31-G on July 14, 1958. The water temperature at both stations was +77.5°F. Evermann and Cox (1896:403-404) recorded female Topeka +shiners "nearly ripe" on June 29, 1893. + +=Notropis buchanani= Meek, ghost shiner. Stations 3-S and 4-S. Only +two specimens of _N. buchanani_ were taken, both on August 14, 1957. +These specimens (KU 3833), a female with well-developed ova, and a +tuberculate male, were near a sandbar in the main channel. To my +knowledge, this is the first published record of the ghost shiner +from the Kansas River Basin. Mr. James Booth, State Biological +Survey, collected _N. buchanani_ from two stations on Mill Creek, +Wabaunsee County, Kansas, 1953. + +=Hybognathus nuchalis= Agassiz, silvery minnow. Stations 2-S, 3-S, +4-S, 7-G, 8-S, and 16-G. + +This species was taken sporadically, but sometimes abundantly, in +the Big Blue River. At Stations 7-G and 16-G a few young-of-the-year +were found. + + + TABLE 2. COMPARISONS OF THREE SERIES OF _HYBOGNATHUS_, 50 SPECIMENS + EACH, FROM DIFFERENT STREAM SYSTEMS. + + TABLE LEGEND: + Column A: [=X] = MEAN;, + Column B: [sigma] = ONE STANDARD DEVIATION; + Column C: 2 [sigma]_{m} = TWO STANDARD ERRORS. + + RANGES ARE IN PARENTHESES. + + STANDARD LENGTHS OF SPECIMENS ARE: + WALNUT RIVER, KANSAS, 60.0 TO 72.7 mm., [=X] = 67.1; + BIG BLUE RIVER, 43.3 TO 63.3 mm., [=X] = 52.0; AND + CHIPPEWA RIVER, WISCONSIN, 57.6 TO 74.4 mm., [=X] = 65.9. + + ================+=================+=================+================== + | Walnut River, | | Chippewa River, + | Kansas | | Wisconsin + COUNT OR | _H. n. placita_,| Big Blue River, | _H. n. nuchalis_, + PROPORTIONAL | KU 3869 | Kansas KU 3812 | KU 2012 + MEASUREMENT +-------+----+----+-------+----+----+-------+-----+---- + | A | B | C | A | B | C | A | B | C + ----------------+-------+----+----+-------+----+----+-------+-----+---- + Lateral-line | 38.9 | 1.1| 0.4| 37.2 | 1.1| 0.4| 37.3 | 1.0 | 0.2 + scales |(37-41)| | |(35-39)| | |(35-39)| | + | | | | | | | | | + Predorsal | 16.8 | 0.9| 0.7| 15.9 | 0.8| 0.2| 15.1 | 0.5 | 0.1 + scale-rows |(15-19)| | |(14-17)| | |(14-17)| | + | | | | | | | | | + Scale-rows below| 15.6 | 1.2| 0.3| 14.9 | 1.0| 0.3| 12.9 | 0.7 | 0.2 + lateral-line |(13-18)| | |(12-16)| | |(12-15)| | + | | | | | | | | | + Scale-rows | 16.2 | 1.1| 0.3| 15.8 | 0.8| 0.2| 13.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 + around caudal |(15-19)| | |(14-18)| | |(12-15)| | + peduncle | | | | | | | | | + ----------------+-------+----+----+-------+----+----+-------+-----+---- + + + TABLE 2.--Concluded. + + ============+===================+==================+=================== + | Walnut River, | | Chippewa River, + | Kansas | | Wisconsin + COUNT OR | _H. n. placita_, | Big Blue River, | _H. n. nuchalis_, + PROPORTIONAL| KU 3869 | Kansas KU 3812 | KU 2012 + MEASUREMENT +-------+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+-------+-----+----- + | A | B | C | A | B | C | A | B | C + ------------+-------+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+-------+-----+----- + Orbit ÷ | .051 |.0035|.0010| .059 |.0047|.0013| .068 |.0044|.0013 + standard |(044- | | |(047- | | |(059- | | + length | 61)| | | 71)| | | 77)| | + | | | | | | | | | + Gape-width ÷|.066 |.0046|.0013| .064 |.0044|.0013| .056 |.0038|.0011 + standard |(055- | | |(055- | | |(046- | | + length | 75)| | | 74)| | | 64)| | + | | | | | | | | | + Orbit ÷ | .776 |.0083|.0024| .907 |.0080|.0023| 1.223 |.0119|.0034 + gape-width |(647- | | |(712- | | |(953- | | + | 945)| | |1.067)| | | 1.566)| | + ------------+-------+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+-------+-----+----- + + +Bailey (1956:333) does not consider the southwestern _Hybognathus +placita_ (Girard) specifically distinct from the northeastern _H. +nuchalis_, but little evidence of intergradation has been published. +In Table 2, I have compared measurements and counts of 50 specimens +of _Hybognathus_ from the Big Blue River, 50 _H. n. placita_ from +the Walnut River, Kansas (Arkansas River Basin), and 50 _H. n. +nuchalis_ from Wisconsin. Measurements and counts were made by +methods described by Hubbs and Lagler (1947:8-15) and measurements +are expressed as thousandths of standard length. + +_Hybognathus_ from the Big Blue River tend to have fewer, larger +scales than _H. n. placita_ from the Walnut River, Kansas, but more +and smaller scales than _H. n. nuchalis_ from Wisconsin. In +specimens from the Blue River, the size of the orbit divided by +standard length, and the width of gape divided by standard length +and width of orbit, are also intermediate between the Walnut River +and Wisconsin specimens, but tend toward the former. Specimens from +the Big Blue River resemble _H. n. placita_ from the Walnut River in +body shape, robustness, and in the embedding of scales on the nape. + +=Pimephales notatus= (Rafinesque), bluntnose minnow: Meek +(1895:136); and Evermann and Cox (1896:399). Stations 2-S, 3-S, 5-G, +6-S, 8-S, 9-G, 10-G, 11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 19-G, 27-G, 29-G, 53-S, +54-G, and 58-G. + +The bluntnose minnow preferred the clearer creeks, with gravel or +gravel-silt bottoms, but occurred rarely in the mainstream of the +Big Blue River. Males and females in high breeding condition were +taken on July 14, 1958. The temperature of the water was 75.5° F. + +=Pimephales promelas= Rafinesque, fathead minnow: Meek (1895: 136); +and Evermann and Cox (1896:397-398). All stations excepting 1-S, +4-S, 12-G, 30-M, 43-S, 44-S, and 56-S. + +Small muddy streams were preferred by _P. promelas_; however, the +fathead minnow was taken in all habitats, and in association with +most other species. + +Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6-7) may have recorded _P. promelas_ from +the Big Blue River Basin, Nebraska, as "blackhead minnows." + +=Campostoma anomalum plumbeum= (Girard), stoneroller. All stations +excepting 1-S, 2-S, 3-S, 14-S, 15-S, 21-G, 22-G, 28-G, 30-M, 33-M, +34-M, 35-M, 36-M, 37-M, 38-S, 41-S, 44-S, 45-M, 51-M, 52-S, and +55-M. + +Stonerollers were usually taken in riffles with gravel-rubble +bottoms. Those individuals collected in areas with mud or sand +bottoms were almost invariably in the current, or in the edge of +currents. + +Specimens from the Big Blue River Basin have an average of 47.4 +scale-rows around the body (range 42-54). + +=Ictalurus melas= (Rafinesque), black bullhead: Evermann and Cox +(1896:387) as _Ameiurus melas_ (Rafinesque); and Canfield and Wiebe +(1931:5-7, 10) as "bullheads." Stations 2-S, 6-S, 7-G, 11-G, 16-G, +20-G, 22-G, 23-G, 24-G, 28-G, 35-M, 40-M, 51-M, 53-S, 55-M, 56-S, +57-M, and 58-G. + +Black bullhead occurred in all habitats, but were less commonly +taken in the Big Blue and Little Blue rivers than in other streams. + +=Ictalurus natalis= (LeSueur), yellow bullhead. Stations 7-G, 9-G, +10-G, 11-G, 17-G, 18-G, 19-G, 34-M, 35-M, 36-M, 37-M, 40-M, 47-M, +48-M, 53-S, and 55-M. + +The yellow bullhead inhabited the muddy-bottomed streams and the +upland, gravelly creeks, usually occurring in the headwaters. I +obtained only one _I. natalis_ in the sandy Big Blue River. + +=Ictalurus punctatus= (Rafinesque), channel catfish: Cragin +(1885:107); Meek (1895:135); Evermann and Cox (1896:386); and +Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6-7, 10) as "channel catfish." Stations +1-S, 2-S, 3-S, 4-S, 5-G, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, 9-G, 11-G, 14-S, 15-S, 16-G, +18-G, 25-S, 27-G, 30-M, 35-M, 38-S, 39-S, 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, 44-S, +46-M, 50-S, 51-M, 52-S, 53-S, and 56-S. + +Channel catfish were most common in the larger, sandy streams, but +occurred in other kinds of streams. The ages and calculated total +lengths at the last annulus for 40 channel catfish were: I, no fish; +II, 7.3 (16); III, 10.6 (5); IV, 12.3 (5); V, 13.3 (6); VI, 15.5 +(4); VII, 18.0 (3); and VIII, 21.9 (1). These lengths are slightly +lower than averages reported by Finnell and Jenkins (1954:5) in +Oklahoma impoundments. + +The length-frequency distribution of 438 channel catfish, collected +by rotenone on August 5 and 7, 1958, indicated that two age-groups +were represented. Without examination of spines, I assigned 265 fish +to age-group O (1.3 to 2.9 inches, average 2.5) and 173 fish to +age-group I (3.1 to 5.8 inches, average 4.5). The average total +length of age group I (4.5 inches) is only slightly higher than the +total length at the first annulus reported as average for Oklahoma +(4.0 inches, Finnell and Jenkins, _loc. cit._). It seems unlikely +that my yearling fish taken in August, 1958, would have reached the +length at the second annulus recorded in my study of spines (7.3 +inches) by the end of the 1958 growing season. + +From 1952 to 1956, severe drought was prevalent in Kansas, probably +causing streams to flow less than at any previously recorded time +(Minckley and Cross, in press). This drought must have resulted in +reduced populations of fishes in the streams. The channel catfish +hatched in 1956 were therefore subjected to low competition for +food and space when normal flow was resumed in 1957, and grew +rapidly, reaching an average total length of 7.3 inches at the +second annulus, while channel catfish that were members of the large +1957 and 1958 hatches suffered more competition and grew more +slowly. + +=Noturus flavus= Rafinesque, stonecat: Jennings (1942:365). Stations +3-S, 4-S, 6-S, 16-G, 25-S, 28-G, 38-S, 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, 52-S, 53-S, +and 56-S. + +_Noturus flavus_ frequented riffles and swift currents along +sandbars in the Big Blue and Little Blue rivers. Cross (1954:311) +reported that "the shale-strewn riffles of the South Fork [of the +Cottonwood River, Kansas] provide ideal habitat for the stonecat." +In my study-area, this species was found not only on rubble-bottomed +riffles, but occurred along both stationary and shifting sandbars +where no cover was apparent. + +=Pylodictis olivaris= (Rafinesque), flathead catfish: Canfield and +Wiebe (1931:7) as "yellow catfish." Stations 3-S, 4-S, 6-S, 8-S, +15-S, 25-S, 38-S, 41-S, 43-S, 44-S, 53-S, and 56-S. + +Flathead catfish were found only in the larger rivers. The species +was taken rarely by seine, but was readily obtained by electric +shocker. Data on the age and growth and food-habits of this species +are to be the subject of another paper. + +=Anguilla bostoniensis= (LeSueur), American eel: Jennings +(1942:365). + +American eels are now rare in Kansas, and none was taken in my +survey. The specimen reported by Jennings (_loc. cit._) is at Kansas +State College (KSC 2916), and was taken by I. D. Graham from the Big +Blue River, Riley County, 1885. + +=Fundulus kansae= Garman, plains killifish. Station 42-S. + +The plains killifish was collected by me only at Station 42-S. +Specimens were collected from my Station 4-S by the Kansas State +College class in fisheries management in 1954 (KSC 4985). My +specimens were 11 to 13 mm. in total length. + +=Roccus chrysops= (Rafinesque), white bass. Station 3-S. + +That the white bass is indigenous to Kansas is evidenced by records +of Graham (1885:77) and Cragin (1885:111); however, since that time, +and prior to the introduction of this species into reservoirs in the +State, _R. chrysops_ has rarely been recorded in Kansas. I collected +young white bass at Station 3-S in both 1957 and 1958, and I +collected them also in an oxbow of the Kansas River four miles west +of Manhattan, Riley County, Kansas, in the mouth of McDowell's +Creek, Riley County, and in Deep Creek, Wabaunsee County, and I saw +other specimens from an oxbow of the Kansas River on the Fort Riley +Military Reservation, Riley County, Kansas. The apparent increase in +abundance of white bass in the Kansas River Basin must be +attributable to introductions in reservoirs, with subsequent escape +and establishment in the streams. + +=Micropterus salmoides salmoides= (Lacépède), largemouth bass. +Stations 6-S, 11-G, 43-S, and 45-M. + +Four largemouth bass were taken. This species has been widely +stocked in farm-ponds and other impoundments in Kansas. + +=Lepomis cyanellus= Rafinesque, green sunfish: Breukelman +(1940:382); and Canfield and Wiebe (1931:5, 7-8, 10) as "green +sunfish." All stations excepting 1-S, 2-S, 4-S, 8-S, 9-G, 15-S, +22-G, 25-S, 30-M, 32-G, 34-M, 38-S, 39-S, 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, 44-S, +45-M, 46-M, 47-M, 50-S, and 52-S. + +Green sunfish occurred primarily in the muddy streams. The ages and +total lengths at the last annulus for 25 specimens are as follows: +I, 1.1 (9); II, 2.2 (4); III, 3.1 (7); IV, 5.4 (4); and V, 6.0 (1). +Male green sunfish were seen on nests on June 29, July 1, and July +9, 1958. + +=Lepomis humilis= (Girard), orangespotted sunfish: Meek (1895:137); +Evermann and Cox (1896:418); Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6) as "orange +spots"; and Breukelman (1940:382). All stations excepting 1-S, 9-G, +13-G, 15-G, 17-G, 21-G, 26-G, 34-M, 36-M, 38-M, 43-M, 44-S, 47-M, +50-S, and 52-S. + +_Lepomis humilis_ was most common over sand-silt bottoms. Only two +age-groups were found; their calculated total lengths were I, 1.7 +(15); and II, 2.4 (10). Orangespotted sunfish were seen nesting on +the same dates as _Lepomis cyanellus_. + +=Lepomis macrochirus= Rafinesque, bluegill. Stations 7-G, 13-G, +16-G, 24-G, and 59-G. + +This species has been widely stocked in Kansas. Only +young-of-the-year and sub-adults were taken, and these were rare. + +=Pomoxis annularis= Rafinesque, white crappie: Canfield and Wiebe +(1931:5-8, 10) as "white crappie." Stations 3-S, 6-S, 8-S, 12-G, +42-S, and 53-S. + +White crappie were rare, except in a borrow-pit at Station 6-S. Ages +and calculated total lengths at the last annulus for 50 specimens +from 6-S are as follows: I, 3.6 (22); II, 5.0 (14); III, 7.1 (5); +IV, 8.3 (7); and V, 10.7 (2). + +=Pomoxis nigromaculatus= (LeSueur), black crappie. Station 6-S. + +One black crappie (KU 4174) was taken. Canfield and Wiebe (1931:10) +noted: "The Black Crappie has been planted here [Big Blue River +Basin in Nebraska] by the State, but, apparently, is not propagating +itself." + +=Stizostedion canadense= (Smith), sauger. Station 56-S. + +Mr. Larry Stallbaumer, of Marysville, Kansas, obtained a sauger (KU +4179) while angling on May 25, 1958. + +=Stizostedion vitreum= (Mitchill), walleye. + +Though I failed to obtain the walleye in my survey, Dr. Raymond E. +Johnson (personal communication) reported that the species occurred +in the Nebraskan portion of the Big Blue River in recent years. +Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6, 10) reported that "yellow pike are taken +at Crete [Nebraska]," but may have referred to either the walleye or +the sauger. + +=Perca flavescens= (Mitchill), yellow perch: Canfield and Wiebe +(1931:5-6, 10) as "ring perch" and "yellow perch." + +This fish was not taken in my survey. Canfield and Wiebe (_loc. +cit_.) reported that the yellow perch "had been planted by the State +[Nebraska]." + +=Etheostoma nigrum nigrum= Rafinesque, johnny darter: Jennings +(1942:365) as _Boleosoma nigrum nigrum_ (Rafinesque). Stations 10-G, +11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 29-G, 40-M, 53-S, and 54-G. + +The larger pools of gravelly streams were preferred by johnny +darters, but one specimen was taken from the main stream of the Big +Blue River, and the species was abundant in one stream over hard, +sand-silt bottom. + +=Etheostoma spectabile pulchellum= (Girard), orangethroat darter: +Jennings (1942:365) as _Poecilichthys spectabilis pulchellus_ +(Girard). Stations 5-G, 7-G, 10-G, 11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 17-G, +18-G, 21-G, 23-G, 27-G, 28-G, 29-G, 33-M, 40-M, 49-M, 53-S, 54-G, +and 59-G. + +The orangethroat darter was less restricted in habitat than the +johnny darter, occurring in all stream-types, but most often in the +riffles of gravelly streams. Most specimens from muddy or sandy +streams were small. + +=Aplodinotus grunniens= Rafinesque, freshwater drum. Stations 3-S, +4-S, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, 15-S, 38-S, 39-S, 53-S, and 56-S. + +The ages and calculated total lengths at the last annulus for 42 +freshwater drum from the Big Blue River were: I, 3.0 (10); II, 5.7 +(6); III, 9.4 (7); IV, 12.1 (13); V, 14.0 (3); VI, 15.1 (2); and +VII, 16.3 (1). + + + + +HYBRID COMBINATIONS + + +I obtained two hybrid fishes in my study-area. One specimen of +_Notropis cornutus frontalis_ × _Chrosomus erythrogaster_ was taken +at Station 29-G. This combination was recorded by Trautman +(1957:114) in Ohio. The other hybrid was _Lepomis cyanellus_ × +_Lepomis humilis_, captured at Station 24-G. This combination was +first recorded by Hubbs and Ortenburger (1929:42). + +Hubbs and Bailey (1952:144) recorded another hybrid combination from +my area of study: _Campostoma anomalum plumbeum_ × _Chrosomus +erythrogaster_, UMMZ 103132, from a "spring-fed creek on 'Doc' +Wagner's farm, Riley County, Kansas; September 21, 1927; L. O. Nolf +[collector]." + + + + +RELATIVE ABUNDANCE AND DISCUSSION OF SPECIES + + +The relative abundance of different species was estimated by +combining counts of individual fishes taken in 290 seine-hauls, 26 +hours and 15 minutes of shocking, and seven samples obtained with +rotenone. At some stations all seine-hauls were counted. At other +stations the seine-hauls in which complete counts were recorded had +been selected randomly in advance; that is to say, prior to +collecting at each station. I selected those hauls to be counted +from a table of random numbers (Snedecor, 1956:10-13). I did not use +the frequency-of-occurrence method as proposed by Starrett +(1950:114), in which the species taken and not the total number of +individuals are recorded for all seine-hauls. However, the frequency +of occurrence of each species is indicated by the number of stations +at which it was found, and those stations are listed in the previous +accounts. Table 3 shows the percentage of the total number of fish +that each species comprised in three kinds of streams: sandy (Big +Blue and Little Blue rivers), muddy, and gravelly streams. + +The habitat preferences of some species affect their abundance in +different stream-types. _Notropis lutrensis_ and _P. mirabilis_ +seemed almost ubiquitous. _Notropis deliciosus_ also occurred in all +kinds of streams (rarely in muddy streams); however, this species +was represented by the sand-loving _N. d. missuriensis_ in the Big +Blue and Little Blue rivers, and _N. d. deliciosus_ in the clear, +gravelly, upland creeks (Nelson, personal communication). Because of +its widespread occurrence, and for purposes of later discussion, I +refer to this minnow also as an ubiquitous species in the Big Blue +River Basin. + +_Carpiodes carpio_, _Cyprinus carpio_, _I. punctatus_, _I. melas_, +and _L. humilis_ were widespread, but each was absent or rare in +one of the kinds of streams (Table 3). _Carpiodes carpio_, _Cyprinus +carpio_, and _I. punctatus_ occurred most frequently in the sandy +streams, whereas _L. humilis_ was most common in muddy streams. The +high per cent of _I. melas_ in collections from the Big Blue River +is a direct result of one large population that was taken with +rotenone in a borrow-pit at Station 6-S. In my opinion, this species +actually was most abundant in the muddy streams. + + + TABLE 3. RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF FISHES IN PER CENT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER + TAKEN, BIG BLUE RIVER BASIN, KANSAS. TRACE (TR.) IS USED FOR VALUES + LESS THAN .05 PER CENT, AND DASHES SIGNIFY THAT THE SPECIES DID NOT + OCCUR IN THE COUNTED COLLECTIONS ALTHOUGH IT MAY HAVE OCCURRED IN + UNCOUNTED COLLECTIONS FROM THE SAME STREAM-TYPE. THREE SPECIES, + _C. AURATUS_, _N. BUCHANANI_, AND _S. CANADENSE_, WERE NOT TAKEN IN + COUNTED COLLECTIONS. + + ====================+=================+=========+========== + | Sandy streams | | + +--------+--------+ Muddy | Gravelly + SPECIES | Big | Little | streams | streams + | Blue | Blue | | + | River | River | | + --------------------+--------+--------+---------+---------- + _N. lutrensis_ | 43.5 | 55.9 | 27.6 | 56.0 + _I. punctatus_ | 14.0 | 7.0 | 1.2 | 4.2 + _Carpiodes carpio_ | 11.9 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 0.5 + _N. deliciosus_ | 8.2 | 28.2 | 3.1 | 11.1 + _I. melas_ | 2.5 | -- | 1.3 | 0.5 + _Cyprinus carpio_ | 2.3 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 0.2 + _P. olivaris_ | 1.8 | 0.8 | -- | -- + _L. humilis_ | 1.7 | -- | 9.0 | 5.1 + _I. bubalus_ | 1.4 | 0.1 | -- | Tr. + _P. mirabilis_ | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.3 + _H. nuchalis_ | 1.2 | -- | -- | Tr. + _P. promelas_ | 0.8 | 1.0 | 28.7 | 4.0 + _H. aestivalis_ | 0.7 | 0.2 | -- | -- + _A. grunniens_ | 0.5 | -- | -- | 0.2 + _L. osseus_ | 0.5 | 1.0 | -- | -- + _C. anomalum_ | 0.4 | 0.2 | 2.7 | 4.6 + _C. commersonnii_ | 0.4 | -- | -- | 0.7 + _D. cepedianum_ | 0.4 | Tr. | 0.1 | -- + _N. percobromus_ | 0.3 | -- | -- | -- + _P. annularis_ | 0.3 | Tr. | -- | -- + _N. flavus_ | 0.2 | 0.4 | -- | Tr. + _S. atromaculatus_ | 0.2 | 0.1 | 12.2 | 1.7 + _M. aureolum_ | 0.1 | 0.2 | -- | -- + _I. cyprinella_ | 0.1 | -- | 0.1 | -- + _P. notatus_ | 0.1 | -- | -- | 2.2 + _I. niger_ | 0.1 | 0.1 | -- | -- + _H. alosoides_ | 0.1 | -- | -- | -- + _E. spectabile_ | 0.1 | -- | 1.4 | 1.6 + _R. chrysops_ | 0.1 | -- | -- | -- + _L. cyanellus_ | 0.1 | -- | 3.5 | Tr. + _H. storeriana_ | Tr. | -- | -- | -- + _L. platostomus_ | Tr. | -- | -- | -- + _M. salmoides_ | Tr. | -- | -- | -- + _P. nigromaculatus_ | Tr. | -- | -- | -- + _I. natalis_ | Tr. | -- | 1.0 | Tr. + _N. umbratilis_ | Tr. | -- | -- | -- + _C. forbesi_ | Tr. | -- | -- | -- + _S. platorynchus_ | Tr. | -- | -- | -- + _F. kansae_ | -- | Tr. | -- | -- + _E. nigrum_ | Tr. | -- | 0.1 | 0.2 + _N. rubellus_ | -- | -- | -- | Tr. + _N. topeka_ | -- | -- | -- | 1.0 + _N. cornutus_ | -- | -- | -- | 1.0 + _C. erythrogaster_ | -- | -- | -- | 1.0 + _L. macrochirus_ | -- | -- | -- | 1.0 + --------------------+--------+--------+---------+---------- + + +Some fish were almost restricted to the sandy streams, apparently +because of preference for larger waters, or sandy stream-bottoms: +_P. olivaris_, _I. bubalus_, _H. nuchalis_, _H. aestivalis_, _A. +grunniens_, _L. osseus_, _D. cepedianum_, _N. percobromus_, _P. +annularis_, _N. flavus_, _M. aureolum_, _I. niger_, _H. alosiodes_, +and _R. chrysops_. Other species that were taken only in the larger +rivers, and that are sometimes associated with streams even larger +(or more sandy) than the Big Blue River are _H. storeriana_, _L. +platostomus_, _M. salmoides_, _P. nigromaculatus_, _C. forbesi_, _S. +platorynchus_, _F. kansae_, _N. buchanani_, _S. canadense_, and _C. +auratus_. _Ictiobus cyprinella_ also occurred more frequently in the +larger streams. + +The muddy-bottomed streams supported populations composed primarily +of _P. promelas_, _N. lutrensis_, and _S. atromaculatus_. No +species was restricted to this habitat, but the following were +characteristic there: _P. promelas_, _S. atromaculatus_, _L. +humilis_, _L. cyanellus_, and _I. natalis_. _Carpiodes carpio_, +_Cyprinus carpio_, _C. anomalum_, _E. spectabile_, and _E. nigrum_ +were locally common in muddy streams, but the first two were most +frequent in larger, sandy streams, and the last three in gravelly +streams. + +In gravel-bottomed, upland streams, _N. cornutus_, _N. rubellus_, +_N. topeka_, and _C. erythrogaster_ characteristically occurred; +with the exception of _N. rubellus_ (only one specimen taken), all +were common at some stations. Other species in gravelly creeks were +_N. lutrensis_, _C. anomalum_, _C. commersonnii_, _P. notatus_, _L. +macrochirus_, _E. spectabile_, and _E. nigrum_. Although the one +specimen of _N. umbratilis_ taken in this survey was from the Big +Blue River, this species is more characteristic of the clearer +creeks in Kansas. + +In order to illustrate the composition of the fauna in some specific +streams in the Big Blue River Basin, I segregated the fishes into +ecological groups, as in the above discussion: ubiquitous types; +species of larger, sandy streams; fishes of muddy streams; and +fishes of clear, gravelly creeks. + +The total number of species taken in each of the streams was +divided into the number of species from that stream that were in +each of these units, to give a percentage. The resultant data are +presented graphically in Figure 3. + + [Illustration: FIG. 3. Composition of the fauna of the entire + Big Blue River Basin, and of seven streams or stream systems + in that basin. "Mill Creek, Wash. Co." refers to all streams + in the Mill Creek System, Washington and Republic counties. + "Bl. Vermillion R. System" includes all streams in that + watershed excepting Clear Creek and one of its tributaries + (Stations 31-G and 32-G).] + + [Illustration: FIG. 4. Composition of the fauna of the Big Blue + River, and of five collecting-sites on Carnahan Creek, + Pottawatomie County. Lowermost sites are at the left of the + figure.] + +Figure 3 gives a generalized picture of the faunal composition in +different kinds of streams. However, the fauna of a small tributary +becomes more distinct from the fauna of the larger stream into which +the small stream flows as one moves toward the headwaters (Metcalf, +1957:92, 95-100). Figure 4 illustrates this in Carnahan Creek. +Station 11-G included four sampling-sites, which were approximately +one, two, three, and four miles upstream from the mouth of Carnahan +Creek. Station 13-G (one collection) was about four miles upstream +from the closest sampling-site of Station 11-G. Applying the same +methods as for Figure 3, my findings show a gradual decline in the per +cent of the fauna represented by the "large-river-fishes," and an +increase in the segment classified as "upland-fishes," from downstream +to upstream. + + + + +CREEL CENSUS + + +Fifty-three fishermen were interviewed in the 1957 creel census +period, and 152 in 1958. Only those fishermen using pole and line were +interviewed. In the area censused, much additional fishing is done +with set-lines, that are checked periodically by the owners. + +In the 1958 census, 22 checks along approximately 80 miles of river +were made, and seven of these trips were made without seeing one +fisherman. The average fishing pressure for the entire area was +estimated at one fisherman per 7.9 miles of stream, or one fisherman +per 15.7 miles of shoreline. + +Seven species of fish were identified from fishermen's creels in 1957 +and 1958. These, in order of abundance were: channel catfish; carp; +freshwater drum; flathead catfish; shovelnose sturgeon; smallmouth +buffalo; and river carpsucker. Shovelnose sturgeon occurred in +fishermen's creels only in April, 1957, and freshwater drum occurred +more frequently in the spring-census of 1957 than in the summer of +1958. + +Sixty-two of the fishermen interviewed in 1958 were fishing for +"anything they could catch," 68 were fishing specifically for catfish, +and 22 sought species other than catfish. The order of preference was +as follows: channel catfish, 21.1 per cent; flathead catfish, 15.1 per +cent; unspecified catfish, 12.5 per cent; carp, 9.2 per cent; +freshwater drum, 1.3 per cent; and unspecified, 40.8 per cent. The +kinds of fish desired by those fishermen checked in 1957 were not +ascertained. + +Of all fishermen checked in 1957 and 1958, 165 were men, 17 were +women, and 24 were children. Ninety-three per cent were fishing from +the bank, five per cent were fishing from bridges, and two per cent +were wading. All but two per cent of those checked were fishing +"tightline"; the remainder fished with a cork. + +The ten baits most commonly used, in order of frequency, were worms, +doughballs, minnows, liver, beef-spleen, chicken-entrails, coagulated +blood, crayfish, shrimp, and corn. + +For purposes of later comparison the data on angler success (Table 4) +have been divided according to areas: Area I, below Tuttle Creek Dam; +Area II, in the Tuttle Creek Reservoir area; and Area III, above the +reservoir. Areas I and III received the most fishing pressure, +especially Station 4-S (in Area I), and Station 56-S (in Area III). + +In Area I, the success ranged from 0.91 fish per fisherman-day in 1957 +to 0.26 fish per fisherman-day in 1958. The 1957 census was made in +April and May, when fishing in warm-water streams is considered better +than in July (Harrison, 1956:203). The 1958 census was from late June +through July, and stream-flow in this period was continuously above +normal. Therefore, fewer people fished the river, and catches were +irregular. Catches in 1958 ranged from 0.26 fish per fisherman-day in +Area I to 0.44 fish per fisherman-day in Area III. In 1951, in the +Republican River of Kansas and Nebraska, the average fisherman-day +yielded 0.36 fish, 0.09 fish per man-hour, and 0.06 fish per pole-hour +(U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1952:13-14). The average +fisherman-day in the Republican River study was 3.0 hours, whereas the +average on the Big Blue River was 2.2 hours for all areas in 1958 +(Table 4). + + + TABLE 4. ANGLING SUCCESS IN THE BIG BLUE RIVER, KANSAS, 1957 AND 1958. + + ================================================================= + AREA, YEAR, |Average |Number |Number |Number + AND NUMBER |length of |fish per |fish per|fish per + OF FISHERMEN |fisherman-day|fisherman-day|man-hour|pole-hour[A] + ---------------+-------------+-------------+--------+------------ + Area I, 1957 | 2.7 hours | 0.91 | 0.33 | 0.23 + 53 fishermen | | | | + Area I, 1958 | 2.5 hours | 0.26 | 0.10 | 0.07 + 84 fishermen | | | | + Area II, 1958 | 1.7 hours | 0.37 | 0.22 | 0.14 + 27 fishermen | | | | + Area III, 1958 | 2.4 hours | 0.44 | 0.16 | 0.11 + 41 fishermen | | | | + All areas, 1958| 2.2 hours | 0.33 | 0.14 | 0.09 + 152 fishermen| | | | + + [A] Fishermen used an average of 1.44 poles. + + +In the Big Blue River 47.7 per cent of all fishermen were successful in +Area I in 1957, while only 13.1 per cent were successful in the same +area in 1958 (Table 5). In the Republican River, 24 per cent of the +fishing parties were successful (1.64 persons per party) (U. S. Fish and +Wildlife Service, _loc. cit._). The average distance that each fisherman +had traveled to fish in the Big Blue River was 15.7 miles. Seventy-nine +per cent of the persons contacted lived within 25 miles of the spots +where they fished. In the study on the Republican River, 77 per cent of +the parties interviewed came less than 25 miles to fish. + + + TABLE 5. PER CENT OF TOTAL FISHERMEN SUCCESSFUL, AND DISTANCES + TRAVELLED TO FISH, BIG BLUE RIVER BASIN, KANSAS, 1957 AND 1958. + ALL DISTANCES WERE MEASURED IN AIRLINE MILES. + + ============================+=======+=======+=======+=======+====== + | 1957 | 1958 | 1958 | 1958 | 1958 + | Area | Area | Area | Area | All + | I | I | II | III | areas + ----------------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------ + Per cent of | 47.1 | 13.1 | 18.5 | 19.5 | 15.8 + fishermen successful | | | | | + | | | | | + Distances traveled to fish | 0-121 | 1-197 | 0-124 | 0-60 | 0-197 + (averages in parentheses) |(15.6) |(20.5) |(13.5) |(7.4) |(15.7) + ----------------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------- + + + + +RECOMMENDATIONS + + +My primary recommendation is for continued study of the Tuttle Creek +Reservoir, and the Big Blue River above and below the reservoir, to +trace changes in the fish population that result from impoundment. + +Probably the fishes that inhabit the backwaters, creek-mouths, and +borrow-pits in the Big Blue River Basin (gars, shad, carpsucker, +buffalo, carp, sunfishes, and white bass) will increase in abundance +as soon as Tuttle Creek Reservoir is formed. Also, as in eastern +Oklahoma reservoirs (see Finnell, _et al_., 1956:61-73), populations +of channel and flathead catfish should increase. Because of the +presence of brood-stock of the major sport-fishes of Kansas (channel +and flathead catfish, bullhead, bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, +and white bass), stocking of these species would be an economic waste: +exception might be made for the white bass. It may be above Tuttle +Creek Dam, but was not found there. + +I do recommend immediate introduction of walleye, and possibly +northern pike (_Esox lucius_ Linnaeus), the latter species having been +successfully stocked in Harlan County Reservoir, Nebraska, in recent +years (Mr. Donald D. Poole, personal communication). These two species +probably are native to Kansas, but may have been extirpated as +agricultural development progressed. Reservoirs may again provide +habitats suitable for these species in the State. + +If Tuttle Creek Reservoir follows the pattern found in most Oklahoma +reservoirs, large populations of "coarse fish"--fishes that are, +however, commercially desirable--will develop (Finnell, _et al._, +_loc. cit._). To utilize this resource, and possibly to help control +"coarse fish" populations for the betterment of sport-fishing, some +provision for commercial harvest should be made in the reservoir. + + + + +SUMMARY + + +1. The Big Blue River Basin in northeastern Kansas was studied between +March 30, 1957, and August 9, 1958. The objectives were to record the +species of fish present and their relative abundance in the stream, +and to obtain a measure of angling success prior to closure of Tuttle +Creek Dam. + +2. Fifty-nine stations were sampled one or more times, using seines, +hoop and fyke nets, wire traps, experimental gill nets, rotenone, and +an electric fish shocker. + +3. Forty-eight species of fish were obtained, and five others have +been recorded in literature or found in museums. One species, +_Carpiodes forbesi_, is recorded from Kansas for the first time. + +4. _Notropis lutrensis_ was the most abundant fish in the Big Blue +River Basin, followed by _Notropis deliciosus_ and _Ictalurus +punctatus_. The most abundant sport-fishes were _I. punctatus_, +_I. melas_, and _Pylodictis olivaris_, respectively. + +5. The spawning behavior of _Notropis lutrensis_ is described. + +6. A creel census at major points of access to the Big Blue River, was +taken in 1957 (below Tuttle Creek Dam) and in 1958 (above, in, and +below the dam-site). Fishing pressure averaged one fisherman per 15.7 +miles of shoreline. The average length of the fisherman-day averaged +2.2 hours, with an average of 0.33 fish per fisherman-day being caught +in 1958. The average number of fish per man-hour in 1958 was 0.14 and +15.8 per cent of the fishermen were successful. Distances traveled in +order to fish ranged from 0 to 197 miles (airline) and averaged 15.7 +miles. + +7. The primary recommendation is that studies be continued, to +document changes that result from impoundment. Because brood-stock of +the major sport-fishes is already present, stocking is unnecessary, +except for walleye and northern pike. Also, I recommend commercial +harvest of non-game food-fishes. + + + + +LITERATURE CITED + + +BAILEY, R. M. + + 1956. A revised list of fishes of Iowa, with keys for + identification. _In_ Iowa Fish and Fishing, by J. R. Harlan + and E. B. Speaker. Iowa State Cons. Comm., Des Moines, + pp. 325-377. + + +----, and CROSS, F. B. + + 1954. River sturgeons of the American genus _Scaphirhynchus_: + characters, distribution, and synonymy. Pap. Michigan Acad. + Sci., Arts, and Letters, 39 (1953): 169-208. + + +BREUKELMAN, J. + + 1940. A collection of Kansas fish in the State University + Museum. Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 43: 377-384. + + +BUCHHOLZ, M. + + 1957. Age and growth of river carpsucker in Des Moines River, + Iowa. Proc. Iowa Acad. Sci., 64: 589-600. + + +CANFIELD, H. L., and WIEBE, A. H. + + 1931. A cursory survey of the Blue River System of Nebraska. + U. S. Dept. Comm., Bur. of Fisheries, Econ. Circ. 73: 1-10. + + +COLBY, C., DILLINGHAM, H., ERICKSON, E., JENKS, G., JONES, J., and + SINCLAIR, R. + + 1956. The Kansas Basin, Pilot Study of a Watershed. Univ. of + Kansas Press, Lawrence, ix + 103 pp. + + +CRAGIN, F. W. + + 1885. Preliminary list of Kansas fishes. Bull. Washburn Lab. of + Nat. Hist., 1 (3):105-111. + + +CROSS, F. B. + + 1950. Effects of sewage and of a headwaters impoundment on the + fishes of Stillwater Creek in Payne County, Oklahoma. + Amer. Midl. Nat., 43 (1):128-145. + + 1954. Fishes of Cedar Creek and the South Fork of the + Cottonwood River, Chase County, Kansas. Trans. + Kansas Acad. Sci., 57 (3): 303-314. + + +EDDY, S., and SURBER, T. + + 1947. Northern Fishes, with Special Reference to the Upper + Mississippi Valley. Univ. of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, + xii + 276 pp. + + +EVERMANN, B. W., and COX, U. O. + + 1896. Report upon the fishes of the Missouri River Basin. + Appendix 5. Rept. U. S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries + for 1894. pp. 325-429. + + +FINNELL, J. C., and JENKINS, R. M. + + 1954. Growth of channel catfish in Oklahoma waters: 1954 + revision. Oklahoma Fish Res. Lab. Rept. 41: ii + 1-37. + + +----, JENKINS, R. M. and HALL, G. E. + + 1956. The fishery resources of the Little River System, + McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Oklahoma Fish. + Res. Lab. Rept. 55: ii + 1-82. + + +FLORA, S. D. + + 1948. Climate of Kansas. Rept. Kansas State Board of Agri., + 67 (285): xii + 1-320. + + +FORBES, S. A., and RICHARDSON, R. E. + + 1920. The Fishes of Illinois. Nat. Hist. Survey of Illinois. + Illinois Printing Co., Danville, cxxxi + 357 pp. + + +FRYE, J. C., and LEONARD, A. B. + + 1952. Pleistocene geology of Kansas. Kansas Geol. Survey, + Bull. 99: 1-230. + + +GILBERT, C. H. + + 1886. Third series of notes on the fishes of Kansas. Bull. + Washburn Lab. of Nat. Hist., 1 (6): 207-211. + + +GRAHAM, I. D. + + 1885. Preliminary list of Kansas fishes. Trans. + Kansas Acad. Sci., 9: 69-78. + + +HARRISON, H. M. + + 1956. Angling for channel catfish. _In_ Iowa Fish and Fishing, + by J. R. Harlan and E. B. Speaker. Iowa State Cons. Comm., + Des Moines. Pp. 202-212. + + +HUBBS, C. L. + + 1945. Corrected distributional records for Minnesota fishes. + Copeia, 1945 (1):13-22. + + +----, and ORTENBURGER, A. I. + + 1929. Further notes on the fishes of Oklahoma with descriptions + of new species of Cyprinidae. Pub. Univ. Oklahoma Biol. + Survey, 1 (2): 17-43. + + +----, and LAGLER, K. F. + + 1947. Fishes of the Great Lakes Region. Cranbrook Inst. of + Sci., Bull. 26: xi + 1-186. + + +----, and BAILEY, R. M. + + 1952. Identification of _Oxygeneum pulverulentum_ Forbes, from + Illinois, as a hybrid cyprinid fish. Pap. Michigan Acad. + Sci., Arts, and Letters, 37 (1951): 143-152. + + +JENNINGS, D. + + 1942. Kansas fish in the Kansas State College Museum at + Manhattan. Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 45: 363-366. + + +KANSAS WATER RESOURCES FACT-FINDING AND RESEARCH COMMITTEE. + + 1955. Water in Kansas. A Report to the Kansas State Legislature ... + Univ. of Kansas. 1-216 pp. + + +KINCER, J. B. + + 1941. Climate and weather data for the United States. _In_ + Climate and Man, Yearbook of Agri. for 1941. House Doc. 27. + pp. 685-699. + + +LAGLER, K. F. + + 1952. Freshwater Fishery Biology. Wm. C. Brown Co., Dubuque, + Iowa. x + 360 pp. + + +LUGN, A. L. + + 1935. The Pleistocene geology of Nebraska. Nebraska Geol. + Survey, Bull. 10, 2nd series: 1-223. + + +MARZOLF, R. C. + + 1955. Use of pectoral spines and vertebrae for determining age + and rate of growth of the channel catfish. Jour. Wildl. Mgmt., + 19 (2): 243-249. + + +MEEK, S. E. + + 1895. Notes on the fishes of western Iowa and eastern Nebraska. + Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 14 (1894): 133-138. + + +METCALF, A. L. + + 1957. Fishes of Chautauqua, Cowley and Elk counties, Kansas. + Univ. Kansas Publ., Mus. Nat. Hist., 11:345-400. + + +MINCKLEY, W. L., and CROSS, F. B. + + In press. Habitat, distribution, and abundance of _Notropis + topeka_ (Gilbert) in Kansas. Amer. Midl. Nat. + + +MONFORT, E. + + 1956. A layman looks at water. Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., + 59 (1):118-123. + + +MOORE, G. A. + + 1957. Fishes. _In_ Vertebrates of the United States, by W. + Blair, A. Blair, P. Brodkorb, F. Cagle, and G. Moore. + McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, N. Y. pp. 31-210. + + +MOORE, R. C., and LANDES, K. K. + + 1937. Geologic map of Kansas. Scale 1:500,000. Kansas Geol. + Survey. + + +NEBRASKA STATE PLANNING BOARD. + + 1936. Water resources of Nebraska. Mimeo. by Nebraska State + Planning Board. Lincoln, xxviii + 695 pp. + + +PFEIFFER, R. A. + + 1955. Studies on the life history of the rosyface shiner, + _Notropis rubellus_. Copeia, 1955 (2):95-104. + + +RANEY, E. C. + + 1947. Subspecies and breeding behavior of the cyprinid fish + _Notropis procne_ (Cope). Copeia, 1947 (2):103-109. + + +SCHOEWE, W. H. + + 1953. The geography of Kansas, Part III--concluded, + hydrogeography. Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 56 (2):131-190. + + +SNEDECOR, G. W. + + 1956. Statistical Methods. Iowa State College Press, Ames. + xiii + 534 pp. + + +STARRETT, W. C. + + 1950. Distribution of the fishes of Boone County, Iowa, with + special reference to the minnows and darters. Amer. Midl. + Nat., 43 (1): 112-127. + + +TRAUTMAN, M. B. + + 1957. The Fishes of Ohio. Waverly Press, Inc., Baltimore, Md. + xvii + 683 pp. + + +U. S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE. + + 1952. A one-year creel census and evaluation of the Republican + River, Nebraska and Kansas, 1951. Mimeo. by the Staff, + Missouri River Basin Studies, Billings, Mont. 29 pp., + Appendix. + + 1953. A preliminary report on fish and wildlife resources in + relation to the water development plan for the Tuttle Creek + Dam and Reservoir, Big Blue River, Missouri River Basin, + Kansas. Mimeo. by the Staff, Missouri River Basin Studies, + Billings, Mont. 25 pp. + + +VAN ORMAN, C. R. + + 1956. Surface water--its control and retention for use. Trans. + Kansas Acad. Sci., 59 (1):105-110. + + +WALTERS, K. L. + + 1954. Geology and ground-water resources of Marshall County, + Kansas. Kansas Geol. Survey, Bull. 106:1-116. + + +_Transmitted December 19, 1958._ + +[] + +27-7080 + + + + +UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS + +MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY + + +Institutional libraries interested in publications exchange may obtain +this series by addressing the Exchange Librarian, University of Kansas +Library, Lawrence, Kansas. Copies for individuals, persons working in +a particular field of study, may be obtained by addressing instead the +Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. +There is no provision for sale of this series by the University +Library which meets institutional requests, or by the Museum of +Natural History which meets the requests of individuals. However, when +individuals request copies from the Museum, 25 cents should be +included, for each separate number that is 100 pages or more in +length, for the purpose of defraying the costs of wrapping and +mailing. + + * An asterisk designates those numbers of which the Museum's supply + (not the Library's supply) is exhausted. Numbers published to date, + in this series, are as follows: + + Vol. 1. Nos. 1-26 and index. Pp. 1-638, 1946-1950. + + *Vol. 2. (Complete) Mammals of Washington. By Walter W. Dalquest. + Pp. 1-444, 140 figures in text. April 9, 1948. + + Vol. 3. *1. The avifauna of Micronesia, its origin, evolution, and + distribution. By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 1-359, 16 figures + in text. June 12, 1951. + + *2. A quantitative study of the nocturnal migration of birds. + By George H. Lowery, Jr. Pp. 361-472, 47 figures in text. + June 29, 1951. + + 3. Phylogeny of the waxwings and allied birds. By M. Dale + Arvey. Pp. 473-530, 49 figures in text, 13 tables. + October 10, 1951. + + 4. Birds from the state of Veracruz, Mexico. By George H. + Lowery, Jr., and Walter W. Dalquest. Pp. 531-649, + 7 figures in text, 2 tables. October 10, 1951. + + Index. Pp. 651-681. + + *Vol. 4. (Complete) American weasels. By E. Raymond Hall. Pp. 1-466, + 41 plates, 31 figures in text. December 27, 1951. + + Vol. 5. Nos. 1-37 and index. Pp. 1-676, 1951-1953. + + *Vol. 6. (Complete) Mammals of Utah, _taxonomy and distribution_. By + Stephen D. Durrant. Pp. 1-549, 91 figures in text, + 30 tables. August 10, 1952. + + Vol. 7. *1. Mammals of Kansas. By E. Lendell Cockrum. Pp. 1-303, + 73 figures in text, 37 tables. August 25, 1952. + + 2. Ecology of the opossum on a natural area in northeastern + Kansas. By Henry S. Fitch and Lewis L. Sandidge. + Pp. 305-338, 5 figures in text. August 24, 1953. + + 3. The silky pocket mice (Perognathus flavus) of Mexico. + By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 339-347, 1 figure in text. + February 15, 1954. + + 4. North American jumping mice (Genus Zapus). By Philip H. + Krutzsch. Pp. 349-472, 47 figures in text, 4 tables. + April 21, 1954. + + 5. Mammals from Southeastern Alaska. By Rollin H. Baker and + James S. Findley. Pp. 473-477. April 21, 1954. + + 6. Distribution of Some Nebraskan Mammals. By J. Knox + Jones, Jr. Pp. 479-487. April 21, 1954. + + 7. Subspeciation in the montane meadow mouse. Microtus + montanus, in Wyoming and Colorado. By Sydney Anderson. + Pp. 489-506, 2 figures in text. July 23, 1954. + + 8. A new subspecies of bat (Myotis velifer) from + southeastern California and Arizona. By Terry A. + Vaughan. Pp. 507-512. July 23, 1954. + + 9. Mammals of the San Gabriel mountains of California. + By Terry A. Vaughan. Pp. 513-582, 1 figure in text, + 12 tables. November 15, 1954. + + 10. A new bat (Genus Pipistrellus) from northeastern Mexico. + By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 583-586. November 15, 1954. + + 11. A new subspecies of pocket mouse from Kansas. By E. + Raymond Hall. Pp. 587-590. November 15, 1954. + + 12. Geographic variation in the pocket gopher, Cratogeomys + castanops, in Coahuila, Mexico. By Robert J. Russell + and Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 591-608. March 15, 1955. + + 13. A new cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) from + northeastern Mexico. By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 609-612. + April 8, 1955. + + 14. Taxonomy and distribution of some American shrews. + By James S. Findley, Pp. 613-618. June 10, 1955. + + 15. The pigmy woodrat, Neotoma goldmani, its distribution + and systematic position. By Dennis G. Rainey and Rollin + H. Baker. Pp. 619-624, 2 figures in text. June 10, 1955. + + Index. Pp. 625-651. + + Vol. 8. 1. Life history and ecology of the five-lined skink, + Eumeces fasciatus. By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 1-156, 26 figs. + in text. September 1, 1954. + + 2. Myology and serology of the Avian Family Fringillidae, a + taxonomic study. By William B. Stallcup. Pp. 157-211, + 23 figures in text, 4 tables. November 15, 1954. + + 3. An ecological study of the collared lizard (Crotaphytus + collaris). By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 213-274, 10 figures in + text. February 10, 1956. + + 4. A field study of the Kansas ant-eating frog, Gastrophryne + olivacea. By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 275-306, 9 figures in + text. February 10, 1956. + + 5. Check-list of the birds of Kansas. By Harrison B. + Tordoff. Pp. 307-359, 1 figure in text. March 10, 1956. + + 6. A population study of the prairie vole (Microtus + ochrogaster) in northeastern Kansas. By Edwin P. Martin. + Pp. 361-416, 19 figures in text. April 2, 1956. + + 7. Temperature responses in free-living amphibians and + reptiles of northeastern Kansas. By Henry S. Fitch. + Pp. 417-476, 10 figures in text, 6 tables. June 1, 1956. + + 8. Food of the crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos Brehm, in + south-central Kansas. By Dwight Platt. Pp. 477-498, + 4 tables. June 8, 1956. + + 9. Ecological observations on the woodrat Neotoma + floridana. By Henry S. Fitch and Dennis G. Rainey. + Pp. 499-533, 3 figures in text. June 12, 1956. + + 10. Eastern woodrat, Neotoma floridana; Life history and + ecology. By Dennis G. Rainey. Pp. 585-646, 12 plates, + 13 figures in text. August 15, 1956. + + Index. Pp. 647-675. + + Vol. 9. 1. Speciation of the wandering shrew. By James S. Findley. + Pp. 1-68, 18 figures in text. December 10, 1955. + + 2. Additional records and extensions of ranges of mammals + from Utah. By Stephen D. Durrant, M. Raymond Lee, and + Richard M. Hansen. Pp. 69-80. December 10, 1955. + + 3. A new long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis) from northeastern + Mexico. By Rollin H. Baker and Howard J. Stains. + Pp. 81-84. December 10, 1955. + + 4. Subspeciation in the meadow mouse, Microtus + pennsylvanicus, in Wyoming. By Sydney Anderson. + Pp. 85-104, 2 figures in text. May 10, 1956. + + 5. The condylarth genus Ellipsodon. By Robert W. Wilson. + Pp. 105-116, 6 figures in text. May 19, 1956. + + 6. Additional remains of the multituberculate genus + Eucosmodon. By Robert W. Wilson. Pp. 117-123, 10 figures + in text. May 19, 1956. + + 7. Mammals of Coahuila, Mexico. By Rollin H. Baker. + Pp. 125-335, 75 figures in text. June 15, 1956. + + 8. Comments on the taxonomic status of Apodemus peninsulae, + with description of a new subspecies from North China. + By J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 337-346, 1 figure in text, + 1 table. August 15, 1956. + + 9. Extensions of known ranges of Mexican bats. By Sydney + Anderson. Pp. 347-351. August 15, 1956. + + 10. A new bat (Genus Leptonycteris) from Coahuila. By Howard + J. Stains. Pp. 353-356. January 21, 1957. + + 11. A new species of pocket gopher (Genus Pappogeomys) from + Jalisco, Mexico. By Robert J. Russell. Pp. 357-361. + January 21, 1957. + + 12. Geographic variation in the pocket gopher, Thomomys + bottae, in Colorado. By Phillip M. Youngman. Pp. 363-387, + 7 figures in text. February 21, 1958. + + 13. New bog lemming (genus Synaptomys) from Nebraska. By J. + Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 385-388. May 12, 1958. + + 14. Pleistocene bats from San Josecito Cave, Nuevo Leon, + Mexico. By J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 389-396. December 19, + 1958. + + 15. New subspecies of the rodent Baiomys from Central + America. By Robert L. Packard. Pp. 397-404. December 19, + 1958. + + More numbers will appear in volume 9. + + Vol. 10. 1. Studies of birds killed in nocturnal migration. By + Harrison B. Tordoff and Robert M. Mengel. Pp. 1-44, + 6 figures in text, 2 tables. September 12, 1956. + + 2. Comparative breeding behavior of Ammospiza caudacuta and + A. maritima. By Glen E. Woolfenden. Pp. 45-75, 6 plates, + 1 figure. December 20, 1956. + + 3. The forest habitat of the University of Kansas Natural + History Reservation. By Henry S. Fitch and Ronald R. + McGregor. Pp. 77-127, 2 plates, 7 figures in text, + 4 tables. December 31, 1956. + + 4. Aspects of reproduction and development in the prairie + vole (Microtus ochrogaster). By Henry S. Fitch. + Pp. 129-161, 8 figures in text, 4 tables. December 19, + 1957. + + 5. Birds found on the Arctic slope of northern Alaska. + By James W. Bee. Pp. 163-211, pls. 9-10, 1 figure in + text, March 12, 1958. + + 6. The wood rats of Colorado: distribution and ecology. + By Robert B. Finley, Jr. Pp. 213-552, 34 plates, + 8 figures in text, 35 tables. November 7, 1958. + + More numbers will appear in volume 10. + + Vol. 11. 1. The systematic status of the colubrid snake, Leptodeira + discolor Günther. By William E. Duellman. Pp. 1-9, + 4 figs. July 14, 1958. + + 2. Natural history of the six-lined racerunner, + Cnemidophorus sexlineatus. By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 11-62, + 9 figs., 9 tables. September 19, 1958. + + 3. Home ranges, territories, and seasonal movements of + vertebrates of the Natural History Reservation. + By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 63-326, 6 plates, 24 figures in + text, 3 tables. December 12, 1958. + + 4. A new snake of the genus Geophis from Chihuahua, Mexico. + By John M. Legler. Pp. 327-334, January 28, 1959. + + 5. A new tortoise, genus Gopherus, from north-central + Mexico. By John M. Legler. Pp. 335-343, April 24, 1959. + + 6. Fishes of Chautauqua, Cowley and Elk counties, Kansas. + By Artie L. Metcalf. Pp. 345-400, 2 plates, 2 figures in + text, 10 tables. May 6, 1959. + + 7. Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin, Kansas. By W. L. + Minckley. Pp. 401-442, 2 plates, 4 figures in text, + 5 tables. May 8, 1959. + + More numbers will appear in volume 11. + + + + +Transcriber's Notes + + +Except as noted below, the text presented herein is that contained in +the original printed version. Minor corrections (such as missing +punctuation) may have been corrected. The original version had a +list of publications printed inside the cover and inside and on the +back cover. The cover page was not retained as it is a copy of the +first page and the list inside the cover was moved past the end of the +article. + + +Notations + +The greek letter sigma is represented as [sigma]. And [=X] indicates +letter X with a line above it which is a standard notation for mean. + + +Typographical Corrections + + Page Correction + ==== ================================= + 408 Phenophthalein => Phenolphthalein + + +Text Emphasis + + _Text_ : Italics + + =Text= : Bold and Italics + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin, +Kansas, by W. L. 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L. Minckley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin, Kansas + +Author: W. L. Minckley + +Release Date: October 13, 2011 [EBook #37742] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FISHES OF THE BIG BLUE RIVER *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Tom Cosmas, Joseph Cooper and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="book"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_401" id="Page_401">[401]</a></span></p> + +<br /> +<img src="images/bar_double.png" width="100%" height="15" alt="double bar" title="double bar" /> +<div class="caption2"><div class="smcap">University of Kansas Publications<br /> +Museum of Natural History</div></div> +<div class="center"><img src="images/bar_single.png" width="75%" height="15" title="bar" alt="bar" /></div> +<br /> +<div class="caption2">Volume 11, No. 7, pp. 401-442, 2 plates, 4 figs. in text, 5 tabl.</div><br /> +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/bar_single.png" width="28%" height="15" title="bar" alt="bar" /> + <span class="caption2">May 8, 1959</span> + <img src="images/bar_single.png" width="28%" height="15" title="bar" alt="bar" /> +</div> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<div class="caption1">Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin, Kansas</div> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<div class="caption3">BY</div> +<br /> +<div class="caption2">W. L. MINCKLEY</div> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<div class="caption2"> +<span class="smcap">University of Kansas</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Lawrence</span><br /> +1959 +</div> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_402" id="Page_402">[402]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"> +<div class="caption3"> +<span class="smcap">University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History</span><br /> +<br /> +Editors: E. Raymond Hall, Chairman, Henry S. Fitch,<br /> +Robert W. Wilson<br /> +</div> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Volume 11, No. 7, pp. 401-442, 2 plates, 4 figs. in text, 5 tables<br /> +<br /> +Published May 8, 1959<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">University of Kansas</span><br /> +Lawrence, Kansas<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">A Contribution From<br /> +The State Biological Survey of Kansas</span><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<div class="caption4"> +PRINTED IN<br /> +THE STATE PRINTING PLANT<br /> +TOPEKA, KANSAS<br /> +1959<br /> +<img src="images/union_label.png" width="71" height="26" alt="Look for the Union Label" title="Look for the Union Label" /><br /> +27-7080<br /> +</div> +</div> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_403" id="Page_403">[403]</a></span></p> + +<div class="caption1">Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin,<br /> +Kansas</div> +<br /> +<div class="caption3">BY</div> + +<div class="caption2">W. L. MINCKLEY</div> + +<br /> +<div class="caption2">CONTENTS</div> + +<table width="100%" summary="ToC"> +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt"><small>PAGE</small></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#INTRODUCTION">Introduction</a></td><td class="text_rt">403</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#ACKNOWLEDGMENTS">Acknowledgments</a></td><td class="text_rt">404</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#TUTTLE_CREEK_DAM_AND_RESERVOIR">Tuttle Creek Dam and Reservoir</a></td><td class="text_rt">404</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#BIG_BLUE_RIVER_BASIN">Big Blue River Basin</a></td><td class="text_rt">404</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#GEOLOGY_OF_THE_BASIN">Geology of the basin</a></td><td class="text_rt">405</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CLIMATE_POPULATION_AND_LAND-USE">Climate, population, and land-use</a></td><td class="text_rt">406</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#PHYSICAL_FEATURES_OF_STREAMS">Physical features of streams</a></td><td class="text_rt">407</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#PREVIOUS_RECORDS_OF_FISHES">Previous records of fishes</a></td><td class="text_rt">410</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#METHODS_AND_MATERIALS">Methods and materials</a></td><td class="text_rt">410</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#COLLECTING_STATIONS">Collecting stations</a></td><td class="text_rt">412</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#ANNOTATED_LIST_OF_SPECIES">Annotated list of species</a></td><td class="text_rt">414</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#HYBRID_COMBINATIONS">Hybrid combinations</a></td><td class="text_rt">431</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#RELATIVE_ABUNDANCE_AND_DISCUSSION_OF_SPECIES">Relative abundance and discussion of species</a></td><td class="text_rt">431</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CREEL_CENSUS">Creel census</a></td><td class="text_rt">435</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#RECOMMENDATIONS">Recommendations</a></td><td class="text_rt">437</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#SUMMARY">Summary</a></td><td class="text_rt">438</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#LITERATURE_CITED">Literature cited</a></td><td class="text_rt">438</td></tr> +</table> +<br /> + +<a name="INTRODUCTION" id="INTRODUCTION"></a> +<div class="caption2">INTRODUCTION</div> + +<p>The Big Blue River in northeastern Kansas will soon be impounded +by the Tuttle Creek Dam, located about five miles north +of Manhattan, Kansas. Since the inception of this project by the +U. S. Army Corps of Engineers much argument has arisen as to +the values of the dam and reservoir as opposed to the values of +farmland and cultural establishments to be inundated (Schoewe, +1953; Monfort, 1956; and Van Orman, 1956). Also, there has +been some concern about the possible effects of impoundment on +the fish-resources of the area, which supports "a catfish fishery +that is notable throughout most of the State of Kansas and in some +neighboring states (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1953:9)." +The objectives of my study, conducted from March 30, 1957, to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_404" id="Page_404">[404]</a></span> +August 9, 1958, were to record the species of fish present and their +relative abundance in the stream system, and to obtain a measure +of angler success prior to closure of the dam. These data may +be used as a basis for future studies on the fish and fishing in the +Big Blue River Basin, Kansas.</p> + +<a name="ACKNOWLEDGMENTS" id="ACKNOWLEDGMENTS"></a> +<div class="caption2">ACKNOWLEDGMENTS</div> + +<p>I thank Messrs. J. E. Deacon, D. A. Distler, Wallace Ferrel, D. L. Hoyt, +F. E. Maendele, C. O. Minckley, B. C. Nelson, and J. C. Tash for assistance +in the field and for valuable suggestions. Dr. J. B. Elder, Kansas State +College, arranged for loan of specimens, and Mr. B. C. Nelson supplied data +on <i>Notropis deliciosus</i> (Girard) in Kansas, and on specimens in the University +of Michigan Museum of Zoology.</p> + +<p>I thank the many landowners who allowed me access to streams in the +Big Blue River Basin. The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City +District, also allowed access in the reservoir area, and furnished information +and some photographs. Mr. J. C. Tash did chemical determinations on my +water samples.</p> + +<p>Dr. Frank B. Cross guided me in this study and in preparation of this report. +Drs. E. Raymond Hall and K. B. Armitage offered valuable suggestions +on the manuscript. Equipment and funds for my study were furnished by +the State Biological Survey of Kansas, and the Kansas Forestry, Fish and +Game Commission granted necessary permits.</p> + +<a name="TUTTLE_CREEK_DAM_AND_RESERVOIR" id="TUTTLE_CREEK_DAM_AND_RESERVOIR"></a> +<div class="caption2">TUTTLE CREEK DAM AND RESERVOIR</div> + +<p>The data on Tuttle Creek Dam and Reservoir that follow were +furnished by Mr. Donald D. Poole, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, +Kansas City District. The dam, an earth-fill structure, will be +7,500 feet in length, with a maximum height of 157 feet +above the valley floor. Release of water will be from beneath the +west end of the dam, through two tunnels 20 feet in diameter that +have a capacity of 45,000 cubic feet per second; however, releases +exceeding 25,000 c. f. s. are not planned. The gated spillway is +located at the east end of the dam. Freeboard will be 23 feet +at the top of flood-control pool.</p> + +<p>The reservoir will have a maximum pool of 2,280,000 acre-feet capacity, +a 53,500-acre surface area, and 368 miles of shoreline. +The present operational plan provides for a conservation pool +having a surface area of 15,700 acres, a shoreline of 112 miles, +and a length of 20 miles.</p> + +<a name="BIG_BLUE_RIVER_BASIN" id="BIG_BLUE_RIVER_BASIN"></a> +<div class="caption2">BIG BLUE RIVER BASIN</div> + +<p>Big Blue River and its tributaries, a sub-basin of the Kansas +River System, drain approximately 9,600 square miles, of which +2,484 miles are in Kansas (Colby, <i>et al.</i>, 1956:44). The headwaters +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_405" id="Page_405">[405]</a></span> +of the Big Blue River are in central Hamilton County, +Nebraska, near the Platte River (<a href="#fig_1">Fig. 1</a>). The stream flows generally +south and east for 283 miles to its confluence with the Kansas +River near Manhattan, Kansas. Little Blue River, the largest +tributary to the Big Blue, rises in eastern Kearney and western +Adams counties, Nebraska, and flows southeast for 208 miles to +join the Big Blue near Blue Rapids, Kansas (Nebraska State Planning +Board, 1936:628). The Big Blue River Basin varies in width +from 129 miles in the northwest, to approximately ten miles near +the mouth (Colby, <i>et al.</i>, 1956:44).</p> + +<a name="GEOLOGY_OF_THE_BASIN" id="GEOLOGY_OF_THE_BASIN"></a> +<div class="caption2">GEOLOGY OF THE BASIN</div> +<br /> +<a name="fig_1" id="fig_1"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/fig_1.png" width="594" height="486" alt="" title="" /><br /> +<span class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 1.</span> Big Blue River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska.</span> +</div> +<br /> + +<p>In Kansas, outcrops of Pennsylvanian and Cretaceous age occur +along the extreme eastern and western sides of the Big Blue River +Basin, respectively, whereas Permian beds (overlain by Pleistocene +deposits) occur throughout most of the remainder of the watershed +(see Moore and Landes, 1937). The Big Blue and Little +Blue rivers and their tributaries have deeply incised the Permian +beds of the Flint Hills in Kansas, exposing limestones and shales +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_406" id="Page_406">[406]</a></span> +of the Admire, Council Grove, Chase, and Sumner groups (Wolfcampian +and Leonardian series) (Walters, 1954:41-44). Pleistocene +deposits in the Big Blue Basin in Kansas consist of alluvium, +glacial till, and glacial outwash from the Kansan glacial stage, +overlain by loess deposits of Wisconsin and Recent stages (Frye +and Leonard, 1952: pl. 1).</p> + +<p>The Big Blue River was formed "in part on the till plain surface +and in part by integration of spillway channels," in the latter portion +of the Kansan glaciation (Frye and Leonard, 1952:192). This +stream, and the Republican River to the west, carried waters from +the areas that are now the Platte, Niobrara, and upper Missouri +River basins (Lugn, 1935:153). Drainage was southward, through +Oklahoma, until establishment of the east-flowing Kansas River +(Frye and Leonard, 1952:189-190). As Kansan ice receded the +Blue and Republican rivers retained what is now the Platte River +Basin. The lower Platte River developed and the surface drainage +became distinct in the Iowan (Tazwellian) portion of the Wisconsin +glacial stage (Lugn, 1935:152-153). However, according to Lugn +(1935:203) the Platte River Basin contributes about 300,000 acre-feet +of water per year to the Big Blue and Republican rivers by +percolation through sands and gravels underlying the uplands that +now separate the basins.</p> + +<a name="CLIMATE_POPULATION_AND_LAND-USE" id="CLIMATE_POPULATION_AND_LAND-USE"></a> +<div class="caption2">CLIMATE, POPULATION, AND LAND-USE</div> + +<p>Climate of the Big Blue River Basin is of the subhumid continental +type, with an average annual precipitation of 22 inches +in the northwest and 30 inches in the southeast. The mean annual +evaporation from water surfaces exceeds annual precipitation by +approximately 30 inches (Colby, <i>et al.</i>, 1956:32-33).</p> + +<p>The average annual temperature for the basin is 53° F. (Flora, +1948:148). According to Kincer (1941:704-705) the average +temperature in July, the warmest month, is 78° F., and the +coolest month, January, averages 28° F. Periods of extreme cold +and heat are sometimes of long duration. Length of the growing +season varies from less than 160 days in the northwest to 180 days +in the southeast (Kincer, <i>loc. cit.</i>).</p> + +<p>The human population of the Big Blue Basin varies from about +90 persons per square mile in one Nebraska county in the northwest +and one Kansas county in the southeast, to as few as six +persons per square mile in some northeastern counties. The +population is most dense along the eastern border of the basin, +decreasing toward the west. This decrease in population is correlated +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_407" id="Page_407">[407]</a></span> +with the decrease in average annual precipitation from east +to west (Colby, <i>et al.</i>, 1956:80).</p> + +<p>The principal land-use in the Big Blue Watershed is tilled +crops, with wheat, sorghums, and corn being most important. +Beef cattle are important in some portions of the basin. Colby, +<i>et al.</i> (1956:24) reported that in 1954 as much as 55 per cent of +the land in some counties near the mouth of the Big Blue River +was in pasture. Only one Nebraska county had less than 15 per +cent in pastureland.</p> + +<a name="PHYSICAL_FEATURES_OF_STREAMS" id="PHYSICAL_FEATURES_OF_STREAMS"></a> +<div class="caption2">PHYSICAL FEATURES OF STREAMS</div> + +<p>Streams of the Big Blue River Basin are of three kinds: turbid, +sandy-bottomed streams, usually 150 to 300 feet in width; relatively +clear, mud-bottomed streams, ten to 60 feet in width; and clear, +deeply incised, gravel-bottomed streams, usually five to 30 feet +in width.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sand-bottomed Streams.</span>—The Big Blue and Little Blue rivers +represent this kind of stream. The bottoms of these rivers consist +almost entirely of fine sand; nevertheless, their channels are primarily +deep and fairly uniform in width, rather than broad, shallow, +and braided as in the larger Kansas and Arkansas rivers in +Kansas (<a href="#pl11fig1">Plate 11, Fig. 1</a>). In the Big Blue River, gravel occurs +rarely on riffles, and gravel-rubble bottoms are found below dams +(<a href="#pl11fig2">Plate 11, Fig. 2</a>). The Big Blue flows over a larger proportion +of gravelly bottom than does the Little Blue.</p> + +<p>Big Blue River rises at about 1,800 feet above mean sea level +and joins the Kansas River at an elevation of 1,000 feet above +m. s. l. The average gradient is 2.8 feet per mile. Little Blue River, +originating at 2,200 feet, has an average gradient of 5.3 feet per +mile, entering the Big Blue at 1,100 feet above mean sea level +(Nebraska State Planning Board, 1936:628, 637). The Little Blue +is the shallower stream, possibly because of the greater amount +of sandy glacial deposits in its watershed and the swift flow that +may cause lateral cutting, increased movement, and "drifting" +of the sandy bottom.</p> + +<p>For approximately a 50-year period, stream-flow in the Big Blue +River at its point of entry into Kansas (Barnston, Nebraska) +averaged 603 cubic feet per second, with maximum and minimum +instantaneous flows of 57,700 c. f. s. and one c. f. s. The Little Blue +River at Waterville, Kansas, averaged a daily discharge of 601 +c. f. s. (maximum 50,400, minimum 28). Below the confluence +of the Big Blue and Little Blue rivers, at Randolph, Kansas, the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_408" id="Page_408">[408]</a></span> +average daily discharge was 1,690 c.f.s. (maximum 98,000, minimum +31) (Kansas Water Resources Fact-finding and Research +Committee, 1955:27).</p> + +<p>The turbidity of the Big Blue River, as determined by use of +a Jackson turbidimeter, varied from 27 parts per million in winter +(January 10, 1958) to as high as 14,000 p.p.m. (July 12, 1958). +The Little Blue River has similar turbidities, with high readings +being frequent. In the summer of 1957, pH ranged from 7.2 to +8.4 in the Big Blue River Basin—values that correspond closely +with those of Canfield and Wiebe (1931:3) who made 25 determinations +ranging from 7.3 to 8.3 in the streams of the Nebraskan +portion of this basin in July, 1930. Surface temperatures at various +stations varied from 38° F. on January 10, 1958, to 90° F. +in backwater-areas on July 19, 1957. The average surface temperature +at mid-day in July and August, 1957, was approximately +86.5° F.</p> + +<p>Chemical determinations were made on water-samples from +my Station 4-S on the Big Blue River, and Station 50-S on the +Little Blue (<a href="#Table_1">Table 1</a>). These samples were taken from the surface +in strong current. Determinations were made by methods described +in <i>Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage</i>, +10th edition, 1955.</p> + +<a name="Table_1" id="Table_1"></a> +<div class="smcap_tbl">Table 1.—Chemical Determinations in Milligrams Per Liter at Five +Stations in the Big Blue River Basin, Kansas, 1958.</div> +<br /> +<table width="100%" summary="Water Sample Chemical Data"> +<tr> +<td class="bt2 bb smcap center">Station<br />and<br />Date</td> +<td class="bt2 bb bl center"><ins title='Correction: was "Phenophthalein"'>Phenolphthalein</ins> alkalinity</td> +<td class="bt2 bb bl center">Methyl-orange alkalinity</td> +<td class="bt2 bb bl center">Chlorides</td> +<td class="bt2 bb bl center">Sulphates</td> +<td class="bt2 bb bl center">Nitrates</td> +<td class="bt2 bb bl center">Nitrites</td> +<td class="bt2 bb bl center">Ammonia</td> +<td class="bt2 bb bl center">Phosphate</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="center">4-S<br />August 9........</td> +<td class="bl center">0.0</td> +<td class="bl center">154</td> +<td class="bl center">16</td> +<td class="bl center">28</td> +<td class="bl center">3.5</td> +<td class="bl center">.083</td> +<td class="bl center">.250</td> +<td class="bl center">.225</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="center">50-S<br />August 9........</td> +<td class="bl center">0.0</td> +<td class="bl center">125</td> +<td class="bl center">24</td> +<td class="bl center">20</td> +<td class="bl center">2.5</td> +<td class="bl center">.669</td> +<td class="bl center">.427</td> +<td class="bl center">.240</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="center">35-M<br />August 9........</td> +<td class="bl center">0.0</td> +<td class="bl center">366</td> +<td class="bl center">15</td> +<td class="bl center">108</td> +<td class="bl center">9.4</td> +<td class="bl center">.220</td> +<td class="bl center">.750</td> +<td class="bl center">.080</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="center">11-G<br />July 8........</td> +<td class="bl center">0.0</td> +<td class="bl center">272</td> +<td class="bl center">15</td> +<td class="bl center">60</td> +<td class="bl center">4.5</td> +<td class="bl center">.060</td> +<td class="bl center">.625</td> +<td class="bl center">.140</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="bb center">18-G<br />July 22........</td> +<td class="bb bl center">0.0</td> +<td class="bb bl center">183</td> +<td class="bb bl center">10</td> +<td class="bb bl center">60</td> +<td class="bb bl center">1.6</td> +<td class="bb bl center">.938</td> +<td class="bb bl center">.293</td> +<td class="bb bl center">.240</td> +</tr> +</table> +<br /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_409" id="Page_409">[409]</a></span></p> + +<p>The banks of both the Big Blue and Little Blue rivers support +narrow riparian forests comprised primarily of elm, <i>Ulmus americanus</i>, +cottonwood, <i>Populus deltoides</i>, sycamore, <i>Platanus occidentalis</i>, +and willow, <i>Salix</i> spp. Maple, <i>Acer</i> sp., oak, <i>Quercus</i> spp., +and ash, <i>Fraxinus</i> sp. occur where the rivers flow near steep, rocky +hillsides. Many of the hills are virgin bluestem prairies (<i>Andropogon</i> +spp.), but the floodplains are heavily cultivated.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Mud-bottomed Streams.</span>—Streams of this kind are present in +the watershed of the Black Vermillion River that enters Big Blue +River from the east. The area east of the Big Blue River and +north of the Black Vermillion River is till plains, where relief seldom +exceeds 100 feet (Walters, 1954:12). Streams in this portion +of the basin, and streams entering the Little Blue River from the +west (Mill Creek and Horseshoe Creek systems), tend to have +V-shaped channels, fewer riffles than the Little Blue and Big Blue +rivers and in the gravelly streams (to be described later), and +have bottoms of mud or clay, with few rocks (<a href="#pl12fig1">Plate 12, Fig. 1</a>). +However, in the extreme headwaters of most western tributaries +of the Little Blue River (in Washington and Republic counties) +sandy bottoms predominate. The Black Vermillion River flows +on a broad floodplain and is a mud-bottomed, sluggish stream, +with an average gradient of approximately one foot per mile. +Fringe-forests of elm, cottonwood, sycamore, and willow persist +along most of these stream-courses.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding the mud bottoms, the water in this kind of +stream in the Big Blue Basin remains clearer than that of the Big +Blue and Little Blue rivers. Heavy algal blooms were noted in +the Black Vermillion River and Mill Creek, Washington County, +in 1957 and 1958. Temperatures at Stations 45-M and 46-M on +Mill Creek, Washington County, averaged 85.5° F. on July 31, 1957. +Chemical characteristics of a water-sample from Station 35-M, +Black Vermillion River, are in <a href="#Table_1">Table 1</a>.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Gravel-bottomed Streams.</span>—Most streams of this kind are tributary +to the Big Blue River; however, streams entering Black Vermillion +River from the south are also of this type (<a href="#pl12fig2">Plate 12, Fig. 2</a>). +The streams are "characteristically a series of large pools (to 100 +feet in length and more than two feet in depth) connected by short +riffles and smaller pools" (Minckley and Cross, in press). The +average gradients are high: Carnahan Creek, 33 feet per mile; +Mill Creek, Riley County, 21 feet; Clear Creek, 16 feet per mile. +Stream-flow is usually less than five cubic feet per second. In summer, +these streams may become intermittent, but springs and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_410" id="Page_410">[410]</a></span> +subsurface percolation maintain pool-levels (Minckley and Cross, +<i>loc. cit.</i>).</p> + +<p>The average temperatures of these small streams (79.5° to +81.0° F. in July and August, 1957) were lower than temperatures +in stream-types previously described. Turbidities were usually +less than 25 p.p.m. The chemical properties of water-samples from +two of these streams (Stations 11-G and 18-G) are listed in <a href="#Table_1">Table 1</a>.</p> + +<a name="PREVIOUS_RECORDS_OF_FISHES" id="PREVIOUS_RECORDS_OF_FISHES"></a> +<div class="caption2">PREVIOUS RECORDS OF FISHES</div> + +<p>The earliest records of fishes from the Big Blue River Basin are those of +Cragin (1885) and Graham (1885) in independently published lists of the +fishes of Kansas. Meek (1895) recorded fishes collected in 1891 "from both +branches of the Blue River, a few miles west of Crete, Nebraska." Evermann +and Cox (1896) reported five collections from the Nebraskan part of the +basin. Their collections were made in October, 1892, and August, 1893, and +the stations were: in 1892, Big Blue River at Crete; in 1893, Big Blue River +at Seward, Lincoln Creek at Seward and York, and Beaver Creek at York.</p> + +<p>Canfield and Wiebe (1931) obtained fish from 18 localities in Nebraska +in July, 1930; however, their major concern was determination of water quality. +Their stations were: Big Blue River at Stromsburg, Polk Co.; Surprise and +Ulysses, Butler Co.; Staplehurst, Seward, and Milford, Seward Co.; Crete and +Wilber, Saline Co.; Beatrice, Blue Springs, and Barnston, Gage Co.; Little Blue +River at Fairbury, Jefferson Co.; Hebron, Thayer Co.; Sandy Creek at Alexandria, +Thayer Co.; West Fork of Big Blue River at Stockham, Hamilton Co.; +McCool Junction, York Co.; Beaver Crossing, Seward Co.; and Beaver Creek +at York, York Co.</p> + +<p>Breukelman (1940) and Jennings (1942) listed fishes from the University +of Kansas Museum of Natural History and the Kansas State College Museum, +respectively, including some specimens collected from the Big Blue River +System in Kansas. Because records in these two papers pertain to collections +that were widely spaced in the basin and in time, the specific localities are not +given herein. One of Jennings' (<i>loc. cit.)</i> records, <i>Scaphirhynchus platorynchus</i> +(Rafinesque), was cited by Bailey and Cross (1954:191). More recently, +Minckley and Cross (in press) recorded several localities, and cited some +papers mentioned above, in a publication dealing with <i>Notropis topeka</i> +(Gilbert) in Kansas.</p> + +<p>Information on the fishes of the Nebraskan portion of the Big Blue River +Basin was compiled, and additional localities were reported, in a doctoral +thesis by Dr. Raymond E. Johnson, entitled The Distribution of Nebraska +Fishes, 1942, at the University of Michigan.</p> + +<a name="METHODS_AND_MATERIALS" id="METHODS_AND_MATERIALS"></a> +<div class="caption2">METHODS AND MATERIALS</div> + +<div class="caption3"><i>Collection of Fishes</i></div> + +<p>The gear and techniques used are listed below:</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Entrapment Devices.</span>—Hoop and fyke nets and wire traps were used +for 288 trap/net hours in 1957. The nets were not baited, and were set +parallel to the current, with the mouths downstream. Hoop nets were 1½ to +three feet in diameter at the first hoop, with a pot-mesh of one inch; fyke nets +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_411" id="Page_411">[411]</a></span> +were three feet at the first hoop, pot-mesh of one inch; wire traps, with an +opening at each end, were 2½ feet in diameter and covered with one-inch-mesh, +galvanized chicken wire.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Gill Nets.</span>—Experimental gill nets were set on three occasions in areas +with little current. These nets were 125 feet in length, with ¾ to two inch +bar-mesh in 25-foot sections.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Seines.</span>—Seining was used more than other methods. An attempt was +made to seine all habitats at each station. In swift water, seine-hauls were +usually made downstream, but in quiet areas seining was done randomly. +Haul-seines six to 60 feet in length, three to eight feet in depth, and with +meshes of ⅛ to ½ inch were used. For collection of riffle-fishes, the seine was +planted below a selected area and the bottom was kicked violently by one +member of the party, while one or two persons held the seine, raising it when +the area had been thoroughly disturbed. Seining on riffles was done with a +four-foot by four-foot bobbinet seine.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Rotenone.</span>—Rotenone was used in pools of smaller streams, mouths of +creeks, borrow-pits, and cut-off areas. Both powdered and emulsifiable +rotenone were used. The rotenone was mixed with water and applied by +hand, or into the backwash of an outboard motor.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Electric Shocker.</span>—The electrical unit used in this study generated 115 +volts and 600 to 700 watts, alternating current. The shocking unit consisted +of two booms, each with two electrodes, mounted on and operated from a +slowly moving boat. Fish were recovered in scape nets, or in many cases +were identified as they lay stunned and were not collected.</p> + +<div class="caption3"><i>Estimation of Relative Abundance</i></div> + +<p>Data on relative abundance of fishes were obtained by counts of seine +hauls at 29 of the 59 stations, counts of rotenoned fish at seven stations, and +results with the electric shocker at nine stations. Counts were usually made +in the field; however, in some collections all fish were preserved and counted +in the laboratory. Some fish (or "swirls" presumed to be fish) observed +while shocking were not identified and are not included in the calculations. +However, all fish positively identified while shocking are included.</p> + +<div class="caption3"><i>Age and Growth of Fishes</i></div> + +<p>Fish from selected size-groups were aged in this study. Scales for age-determinations +were removed from positions recommended by Lagler (1952:108). +Scales were placed in water between glass slides and were read on a +standard scale-projection device.</p> + +<p>Pectoral spines of catfish were removed from one or both sides, sectioned, +and read by methods described by Marzolf (1955:243-244).</p> + +<p>Calculation of length at the last annulus for both scale-fish and catfish +was made by direct proportion. All measurements are of total length to the +nearest tenth of an inch unless specified otherwise.</p> + +<div class="caption3"><i>Creel Census</i></div> + +<p>From April 6 to May 28, 1957, a creel census was taken below Turtle Creek +Dam. From June 16 to July 24, 1958, I periodically visited the main points of +access to the Big Blue River, beginning approximately eight miles downstream +from Tuttle Creek Dam and ending six miles upstream from the maximal extension +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_412" id="Page_412">[412]</a></span> +of the reservoir at capacity level. Access-points consisted of 11 bridges, +two power dams, and three areas where county roads approached the river. +Eleven eight-hour days were spent in the 1957 census and 22 checks in 15 days +were made in 1958. An equal number of morning (6:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon) +and afternoon (12:00 noon to 8:30 p.m.) checks were made.</p> + +<p>Fishermen contacted were asked the following questions: home address (or +residence at the time of the fishing trip); time they started fishing; kind of fish +sought; number and kinds of fish in possession; and baits used. Also, the +number of poles and type of fishing (from the bank, from boat, <i>etc.</i>) were +recorded. Fishes caught were examined to confirm identifications. About 80 +per cent of all fishermen seen were contacted.</p> + +<p>Fish per man-hour, as used in this report, refers to the average number of +fish of all species caught by one fisherman in one hour. Fisherman-day is the +average time spent fishing in one day by one person. Because some fishermen +used more than one pole, the data are also expressed as catch per pole-hour.</p> + +<a name="COLLECTING_STATIONS" id="COLLECTING_STATIONS"></a> +<div class="caption2">COLLECTING STATIONS</div> + +<p>In the list that follows, stations are numbered consecutively from the mouth +of the Big Blue River, listing stations on each tributary as it is ascended. The +letters following station-numbers indicate the general type of stream: S = +sandy; M = muddy; and G = gravelly. The Big Blue River is the boundary +between Riley and Pottawatomie counties, Kansas, along part of its length. +Stations in this area have been designated Riley County. The legal description +of each station is followed by the date(s) of collection, and each station is +plotted in <a href="#fig2">Figure 2</a>.</p> + +<a name="fig2" id="fig2"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/fig_2.png" width="601" height="429" alt="" title="" /><br /> +<span class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 2.</span> Collection stations in the Big Blue River Basin, Kansas, 1957 and 1958.</span> +</div> +<br /> +<br /> + +<div class="caption1">PLATE 11</div> +<br /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width:559px"> +<a name="pl11fig1" id="pl11fig1"></a> +<img src="images/pl_11_fig_1.png" width="559" height="309" alt="" title="" /><br /> +<span class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 1.</span> Big Blue River at Station 3-S. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photograph +No. 563697.</span> +</div> +<br /> +<br /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:560px"> +<a name="pl11fig2" id="pl11fig2"></a> +<img src="images/pl_11_fig_2.png" width="560" height="372" alt="" title="" /><br /> +<span class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 2.</span> Big Blue River at Oketo, Marshall County, Kansas. U.S. Army Corps +of Engineers, photograph No. 67516.</span> +</div> +<br /> +<br /> + +<div class="caption1">PLATE 12</div> +<br /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width:531px"> +<a name="pl12fig1" id="pl12fig1"></a> +<img src="images/pl_12_fig_1.png" width="531" height="352" alt="" title="" /><br /> +<span class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 1.</span> Black Vermillion River, approximately one mile upstream from its +mouth. Photograph by Robert G. Webb.</span> +</div> +<br /> +<br /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:526px"> +<a name="pl12fig2" id="pl12fig2"></a> +<img src="images/pl_12_fig_2.png" width="526" height="352" alt="" title="" /><br /> +<span class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 2.</span> Carnahan Creek at Station 11-G. Photograph by Robert G. Webb.</span> +</div> +<br /> +<br /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_413" id="Page_413">[413]</a></span></p> + +<div class="reference">1-S: Pottawatomie Co., mouth of Big Blue River, Sec. 16, T. 10S, R. 8E, +June 20, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">2-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 4, T. 10S, R. 8E, June 6, 12, and 14, +1957.</div> + +<div class="reference">3-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, E ½, Sec. 30, T. 9S, R. 8E, Mar. 30, Apr. 6, +July 15, 16, 17, Aug. 14, and Dec. 26, 1957; Apr. 26, June 20, and Aug. +5, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">4-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River at Rocky Ford Dam, W ½, Sec. 30, T. 9S, +R. 8E, Aug. 14, 1957; and Aug. 5, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">5-G: Pottawatomie Co., McIntire Creek, Sec. 12, T. 9S, R. 7E, July 14, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">6-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River and adjacent borrow-pit, Sec. 24, T. 9S, R. +7E, July 18 and 19, 1957; and July 11, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">7-G: Riley Co., Tuttle Creek, Sec. 10, T. 9S, R. 7E, Aug. 5, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">8-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 10, T. 9S, R. 7E, Aug. 14, 1957.</div> + +<div class="reference">9-G: Riley Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 4, T. 9S, R. 7E, July 20 and 25, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">10-G: Riley Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 2, T. 9S, R. 6E, Aug. 13, 1957.</div> + +<div class="reference">11-G: Pottawatomie Co., Carnahan Creek, Sec. 22, 27, and 34, T. 8S, R. 7E, +Aug. 1, 1957; and July 8, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">12-G: Pottawatomie Co., unnamed tributary to Carnahan Creek, Sec. 15, T. +8S, R. 7E, Mar. 19, 1956 (collection made before my formal study was +begun).</div> + +<div class="reference">13-G: Pottawatomie Co., Carnahan Creek, Sec. 36, T. 7S, R. 7E, Aug. 13, +1957.</div> + +<div class="reference">14-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 18, T. 8S, R. 7E, Mar. 22, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">15-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 7, T. 8S, R. 7E, Apr. 3, and June 12, +1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">16-G: Riley Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 1, T. 8S, R. 6E, July 10, and Aug. 5, +1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">17-G: Riley Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 10, T. 8S, R. 6E, June 26, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">18-G: Riley Co., Fancy Creek, Sec. 14, T. 7S, R. 6E, July 29, 1957.</div> + +<div class="reference">19-G: Riley Co., Walnut Creek, Sec. 20, T. 7S, R. 6E, June 26, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">20-G: Riley Co., Fancy Creek, Sec. 2, T. 7S, R. 5E, Mar. 13, 1957; and June +26, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">21-G: Riley Co., Schoolhouse Branch, Sec. 35, T. 6S, R. 5E, July 22, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">22-G: Riley Co., Fancy Creek, Sec. 33, T. 6S, R. 5E, June 1, 1957.</div> + +<div class="reference">23-G: Riley Co., West Branch Fancy Creek, Sec. 32 and 33, T. 6S, R. 5E, June +1 and 3, 1957.</div> + +<div class="reference">24-G: Clay Co., West Branch Fancy Creek, Sec. 32 and 33, T. 6S, R. 4E, July +22, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">25-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 5, T. 7S, R. 7E, Aug. 7, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">26-G: Riley Co., Swede Creek, Sec. 21, T. 6S, R. 7E, Mar. 22, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">27-G: Pottawatomie Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 14, T. 6S, R. 7E, Sept. 10, 1957.</div> + +<div class="reference">28-G: Pottawatomie Co., Bluff Creek, Sec. 6, T. 6S, R. 8E, Oct. 6, 1957.</div> + +<div class="reference">29-G: Pottawatomie Co., Bluff Creek, Sec. 15, T. 6S, R. 8E, June 29, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">30-M: Marshall Co., Black Vermillion River, Sec. 9, T. 5S, R. 8E, Mar. 5, +1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">31-G: Pottawatomie Co., Clear Creek, Sec. 3, T. 6S, R. 9E, July 14, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">32-G: Pottawatomie Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 14, T. 6S, R. 9E, July 14, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">33-M: Marshall Co., Robidoux Creek, Sec. 20, T. 2S, R. 9E, July 23, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">34-M: Marshall Co., Little Timber Creek, Sec. 10, T. 4S, R. 9E, Oct. 6, 1957.</div> + +<div class="reference">35-M: Marshall Co., Black Vermillion River, Sec. 15, T. 4S, R. 9E, Aug. 9, +1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">36-M: Marshall Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 8, T. 4S, R. 9E, Oct. 6, 1957.</div> + +<div class="reference">37-M: Marshall Co., Black Vermillion River, Sec. 11, T. 4S, R. 10E, Oct. 6, +1957.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_414" id="Page_414">[414]</a></span></div> + +<div class="reference">38-S: Marshall Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 18, T. 5S, R. 8E, Aug. 8, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">39-S: Marshall Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 20, T. 4S, R. 7E, May 29, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">40-M: Washington Co., Coon Creek, Sec. 27, T. 4S, R. 4E, July 22, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">41-S: Marshall Co., Little Blue River, Sec. 9, 16, and 17, T. 4S, R. 6E, June +27, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">42-S: Washington Co., Little Blue River, Sec. 21, T. 3S, R. 5E, Aug. 8, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">43-S: Washington Co., Little Blue River, Sec. 5 and 8, T. 3S, R. 5E, July 30, +1957.</div> + +<div class="reference">44-S: Washington Co., Little Blue River, Sec. 36, T. 1S, R. 4E, July 31, 1957.</div> + +<div class="reference">45-M: Washington Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 35 and 36, T. 1S, R. 4E, July 31, +1957.</div> + +<div class="reference">46-M: Washington Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 4, T. 2S, R. 4E, July 31, 1957.</div> + +<div class="reference">47-M: Washington Co., Spring Creek, Sec. 11 and 12, T. 2S, R. 3E, June 19, +1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">48-M: Washington Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 28, T. 2S, R. 2E, June 19, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">49-M: Republic Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 8 and 17, T. 2S, R. 1W, July 23, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">50-S: Washington Co., Little Blue River, Sec. 5, T. 1S, R. 4E, Aug. 9, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">51-M: Republic Co., Rose Creek, Sec. 20, T. 1S, R. 2W, July 23, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">52-S: Marshall Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 6, T. 4S, R. 7E, Aug. 6, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">53-S: Marshall Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 18, T. 3S, R. 7E, July 29 and 30, +1957; May 28, and Aug. 6, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">54-G: Marshall Co., Hop Creek, Sec. 13 and 18, T. 3S, R. 7E, May 28, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">55-M: Marshall Co., Spring Creek, Sec. 29, T. 2S, R. 8E, July 9, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">56-S: Marshall Co., Big Blue River at Marysville Dam, Sec. 20, T. 2S, R. 7E, +June 16, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">57-M: Marshall Co., Horseshoe Creek, Sec. 6, T. 2S, R. 7E, July 1, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">58-G: Marshall Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 2, T. 1S, R. 7E, July 1, 1958.</div> + +<div class="reference">59-G: Marshall Co., Mission Creek, Sec. 3, T. 1S, R. 8E, Nov. 30, 1957.</div> + +<a name="ANNOTATED_LIST_OF_SPECIES" id="ANNOTATED_LIST_OF_SPECIES"></a> +<div class="caption2">ANNOTATED LIST OF SPECIES</div> + +<p>Forty-eight species were obtained in this survey and five others +have been recorded in literature or are deposited in museums: +KSC = Kansas State College Museum; and UMMZ = University +of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Specimens, unless designated +otherwise, are in the University of Kansas Museum of Natural +History (KU).</p> + +<p>In this list, the scientific name of each species is followed by +the common name, citations of previous records, and the stations +where the species was obtained. I follow Bailey (1956:328-329) +in treating <i>Lepisosteus osseus</i> (Linnaeus), <i>Catostomus commersonnii</i> +(Lacépède), <i>Semotilus atromaculatus</i> (Mitchill), <i>Notropis +lutrensis</i> (Baird and Girard), <i>Pimephales promelas</i> Rafinesque, <i>Ictalurus +melas</i> (Rafinesque), <i>Ictalurus punctatus</i> (Rafinesque), and +<i>Lepomis macrochirus</i> Rafinesque, in binomial form only.</p> + +<p><b><i>Scaphirhynchus platorynchus</i></b> (Rafinesque), shovelnose sturgeon: +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_415" id="Page_415">[415]</a></span> +Jennings (1942:364) as <i>Scaphirhynchus platorhynchus</i> (Rafinesque); +Bailey and Cross (1954:191). Stations 3-S and 4-S.</p> + +<p>Shovelnose sturgeon were found only in the lower portion of the +Big Blue River. On April 20, 1957, many were seen in fishermen's +creels at Stations 3-S and 4-S. One male and two females that I +examined on that date were ripe or nearly so; eggs seemed well +developed and milt flowed freely from the male. After April, 1957, +none was collected or observed until April 26, 1958, when one +specimen was obtained while shocking. Forbes and Richardson +(1920:27) reported that shovelnose sturgeon spawn in Illinois +between April and June, and Eddy and Surber (1947:80) reported +spawning in May and early June in Wisconsin and Minnesota.</p> + +<p><b><i>Lepisosteus platostomus</i></b> Rafinesque, shortnose gar: Jennings +(1942:364). Stations 3-S and 4-S.</p> + +<p>I saw shortnose gar at various times in 1956 and 1957 at Rocky +Ford Dam on the Big Blue River (Station 4-S). One was seen +while shocking at Station 3-S on December 26, 1957.</p> + +<p><b><i>Lepisosteus osseus</i></b> (Linnaeus), longnose gar: Jennings (1942:364) +as <i>Lepisosteus osseus oxyurus</i> Rafinesque. Stations 1-S, 2-S, +3-S, 4-S, 6-S, 8-S, 9-G, 15-S, 18-G, 25-S, 41-S, 44-S, 52-S, and 53-S.</p> + +<p>Longnose gar were abundant in the mainstream of the Big Blue +River but usually evaded capture. This species, and the shortnose +gar, resided in the larger rivers, with <i>L. osseus</i> being taken in only +two creeks near their mouths. In periods of high water, gar moved +into the flooded creeks, but returned to the river as stream-levels +subsided.</p> + +<p>Young-of-the-year <i>L. osseus</i>, averaging 21.5 mm. in total length +(range 13 to 30 mm.), were taken on June 14, 1957, and larger young +(estimated 60 to 70 mm. total length) were taken on June 27, 1958.</p> + +<p><b><i>Dorosoma cepedianum</i></b> (LeSueur), gizzard shad: Jennings +(1942:364). Stations 1-S, 3-S, 4-S, 6-S, 8-S, 44-S, 45-M, and 53-S.</p> + +<p>Most gizzard shad were young-of-the-year, taken on July 16 and +17, 1957, at Stations 3-S and 4-S. Twenty specimens from Station +6-S that were in their second summer of life were from 3.8 to 5.9 +inches total length at the last annulus (average 4.3). This species +was usually found in quiet water and was most abundant near the +mouth of the Big Blue River.</p> + +<p><b><i>Hiodon alosoides</i></b> (Rafinesque), goldeye. Stations 3-S, 4-S, and +53-S.</p> + +<p>I caught five specimens of <i>H. alosoides</i> from the Big Blue River, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_416" id="Page_416">[416]</a></span> +and another specimen, obtained by Dr. R. B. Moorman in 1954, is +at Kansas State College (KSC 4984).</p> + +<p>One goldeye that I caught on April 20, 1956, prior to the beginning +of my study, was a ripe female measuring 15.5 inches total +length. The fish was beginning its seventh summer of life.</p> + +<p><b><i>Cycleptus elongatus</i></b> LeSueur, blue sucker. The blue sucker is +included on the basis of a single specimen (KSC 2917) collected +by I. D. Graham and labeled "Blue River." No other data are with +the specimen; however, most fishes deposited at Kansas State College +by Graham are dated "1885" or "1886" and were caught near +"Manhattan" (Riley County).</p> + +<p><b><i>Ictiobus cyprinella</i></b> (Valenciennes), bigmouth buffalo. Stations +3-S, 6-S, and 30-M.</p> + +<p>Bigmouth buffalo were rare, and were taken only in quiet parts +of larger streams, and in the borrow-pit at Station 6-S.</p> + +<p><b><i>Ictiobus niger</i></b> (Rafinesque), black buffalo. Stations 3-S, 41-S, +and 53-S.</p> + +<p>Only four individuals of <i>I. niger</i> were taken. All were large +adults (more than 20 inches in total length), and all were shocked +in the deeper, swifter areas, where the channel narrowed.</p> + +<p><b><i>Ictiobus bubalus</i></b> (Rafinesque), smallmouth buffalo. Stations +1-S, 3-S, 6-S, 7-G, 18-G, 38-S, 41-S, 43-S, 46-M, and 53-S.</p> + +<p>This species was found in relatively quiet waters in the main +channel, in cut-off areas, and in creek-mouths. The ages and total +lengths of 30 individuals obtained at Station 6-S were (average +followed by number of fish in parentheses): I, 2.4 (11); II, 4.4 +(14); and III, 6.6 (5).</p> + +<p>Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6-7, 10) recorded "buffalo-fish" and +"buffalo" from the Big Blue Basin in Nebraska; however, no specific +designation was given.</p> + +<p><b><i>Carpiodes forbesi</i></b> Hubbs, plains carpsucker. Station 3-S.</p> + +<p>This represents the first record known to me of the plains carpsucker +from Kansas. The specimen (KU 4180), 430 mm. in standard +length, has the following characters: lower lip without a +median, nipple-like projection; dorsal fin-rays, 25; lateral-line scales, +38; diameter of orbit into distance from anterior nostril to tip of +snout, 1.1; body-depth into standard length, 3.3; and head-length +into standard length, 3.9. The specimen was taken while shocking +a wide, shallow channel, over sand bottom.</p> + +<p><b><i>Carpiodes carpio carpio</i></b> (Rafinesque), river carpsucker: Jennings +(1942:364). Stations 1-S, 2-S, 3-S, 4-S, 5-G, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_417" id="Page_417">[417]</a></span> +9-G, 11-G, 14-S, 15-S, 18-G, 19-G, 23-G, 25-S, 27-G, 28-G, 30-M, +38-S, 39-S, 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, 44-S, 45-M, 50-S, 52-S, and 53-S.</p> + +<p>The river carpsucker occurred at most stations on the larger +streams, and in many of the smaller tributaries. In smaller streams +<i>C. c. carpio</i> frequented the largest pools, in or near the floodplains +of larger streams. A marked preference for still water, soft, silty +bottoms, and areas with drift or other cover was apparent; however, +the species also occurred in open waters with moderate to swift +currents.</p> + +<p>The sizes attained by the river carpsucker at different ages were +(averages followed by number of fish in parentheses): I, 1.9 (10); +II, 3.9 (5); III, 5.3 (8); IV, 7.7 (5); V, 11.9 (2); VI, 11.6 (7); +VII, 12.8 (6); VIII, 13.1 (1); IX, 14.9 (2); X, 15.8 (8); and XI, +17.6 (1). These averages are significantly less than those reported +by Buchholz (1957:594) for the river carpsucker in the Des +Moines River, Iowa.</p> + +<p>Examination of the gonads of river carpsucker in summer, 1957, +indicated that spawning occurred in late July. Young-of-the-year, +averaging 21 mm. in total length, first appeared in my collections +on July 30, 1957.</p> + +<p><b><i>Carpiodes velifer</i></b> (Rafinesque), highfin carpsucker: Meek +(1895:135); Evermann and Cox (1896:389).</p> + +<p>The highfin carpsucker was not taken in my survey. Meek +(1895:135) reported "this small sucker [<i>C. velifer</i>] ... common +in Blue River at Crete," characterizing the specimens as having +"Dorsal rays, 24 to 30; scales in the lateral-line, 36 to 41; head +3¾ to 4; and depth 2½ to 3." The ranges in the number of dorsal +rays and the number of scales in the lateral-line are higher than +usual in <i>C. velifer</i>, or in <i>C. c. carpio</i>, which is now common in the +Big Blue River Basin. Both species normally have 33 to 37 lateral-line +scales and 27 or fewer dorsal rays (Bailey, 1956:352-353; +Moore, 1957:79; and Trautman, 1957:81-82). The other characters +listed by Meek would fit the young and some adults of either +species, or possibly a composite including <i>C. forbesi</i>.</p> + +<p>Graham (1885:72) and Cragin (1885:107) reported <i>Ictiobus +velifer</i> (= <i>Carpiodes velifer</i>) from "Eureka Lake," Riley County, +Kansas. This lake, which no longer exists, was in the Kansas River +Valley, about ten miles upstream from the mouth of the Big Blue +River. Other, more recent records from the Kansas River Basin, +in the vicinity of the Big Blue River, are: Maple Leaf Lake, Riley +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_418" id="Page_418">[418]</a></span> +Co., Oct. 4, 1925; Deep Creek, Riley Co., no date; Wildcat Creek, +Riley Co., Sept. 7, 1923; and Wildcat Creek, Riley Co., Sept. 29, +1925 (UMMZ 122187-90). Most of the collections were made by +Minna E. Jewell (Nelson, personal communication).</p> + +<p><b><i>Moxostoma aureolum</i></b> (LeSueur), northern redhorse: Cragin +(1885:108) as <i>Moxostoma macrolepidotum</i> LeSueur; Meek (1895:136) +as <i>Moxostoma macrolepidotum duquesnei</i> (LeSueur); Evermann +and Cox (1896:394-395); and Jennings (1942:364) as <i>Moxostoma +erythrurum</i> (Rafinesque). Stations 41-S, 43-S, 44-S, and +53-S.</p> + +<p>I collected three northern redhorse from the Big Blue River +Basin, and another specimen was seined in the mouth of Mill Creek, +Riley County (my present Station 9-G) by the Kansas State College +class in fisheries management in 1954 (KSC 5068). I reidentify +as <i>M. aureolum</i> the two specimens recorded by Jennings (<i>loc. cit.</i>) +as <i>M. erythrurum</i>.</p> + +<p>The subspecific status of <i>M. aureolum</i> in the Kansas River Basin is +to be the subject of another paper.</p> + +<p><b><i>Catostomus commersonnii</i></b> (Lacépède), white sucker: Canfield +and Wiebe (1931:8) as "common suckers"; and Breukelman (1940:380). +Stations 7-G, 11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 18-G, 19-G, 23-G, +29-G, 31-G, 53-S, 57-M, and 58-G.</p> + +<p>The white sucker occurred primarily in upland streams of the +Flint Hills, with one occurrence in muddy habitat, and one in the +main stream of the Big Blue River. Young <i>C. commersonnii</i> were +often taken in riffles, but adults were in the larger, deeper pools. +The ages and total lengths at the last annulus for 12 white suckers +were: I, 2.8 (4); II, 3.9 (6); III, 8.2 (1); and IV, 9.2 (1).</p> + +<p><b><i>Cyprinus carpio</i></b> Linnaeus, carp: Canfield and Wiebe (1931:5-8, +10) as "carp." Stations 1-S, 2-S, 3-S, 4-S, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, 15-S, +16-G, 18-G, 23-G, 24-G, 25-S, 27-G, 30-M, 35-M, 38-S, 41-S, 42-S, +43-S, 44-S, 45-M, 52-S, 53-S, and 56-S.</p> + +<p>Carp occurred throughout the basin. The habitat of this species +closely approximated that of the river carpsucker; however, +carp were more often taken in moderate to swift water than were +<i>C. c. carpio</i>.</p> + +<p>The ages and average lengths at the last annulus for 40 carp from +the Big Blue River Basin were: I, 2.3 (4); II, 4.7 (10); III, 7.0 (10); +IV, 9.0 (3); V, 11.3 (4); VI, 18.6 (1); VII, 18.9 (3); VIII, no fish; +IX, 20.6 (3); X, 19.1 (2); XI, 21.1 (1); XII, 22.0 (1); and XIII, +24.1 (2).</p> + +<p><b><i>Carassius auratus</i></b> (Linnaeus), goldfish. Station 4-S. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_419" id="Page_419">[419]</a></span></p> + +<p>I saw goldfish seined from Station 4-S by anglers obtaining bait +on April 20, 1957. Goldfish were commonly used for bait at Stations +4-S and 54-S.</p> + +<p><b><i>Semotilus atromaculatus</i></b> (Mitchill), creek chub: Evermann and +Cox (1896:399); and Jennings (1942:364) as <i>Semotilus atromaculatus +atromaculatus</i> (Mitchill). Stations 5-G, 7-G, 10-G, 11-G, +12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 17-G, 18-G, 23-G, 24-G, 27-G, 28-G, 29-G, 31-G, +32-G, 33-M, 34-M, 36-M, 37-M, 40-M, 46-M, 47-M, 48-M, 49-M, +50-S, 53-S, 54-G, 55-M, 56-S, 57-M, 58-G, and 59-G.</p> + +<p>Creek chubs were found in all habitats in the Big Blue River +Basin, but were abundant only in the headwaters of muddy streams +and in clear upland creeks.</p> + +<p><b><i>Chrosomus erythrogaster</i></b> (Rafinesque), southern redbelly dace: +Jennings (1942:365). Stations 11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 27-G, 29-G, +and 53-S.</p> + +<p>This colorful species occupied the headwaters of the clear, +spring-fed creeks where it was abundant. Only one specimen was +taken in muddy or sandy habitat (at the mouth of a small creek at +Station 53-S), where it may have been washed by floods just prior +to my collecting.</p> + +<p><b><i>Hybopsis storeriana</i></b> (Kirtland), silver chub. Station 3-S.</p> + +<p>One specimen of <i>H. storeriana</i> (KU 3810) was seined in swift +water near a sandbar on April 6, 1957, and another was taken at +the same locality on April 26, 1958.</p> + +<p><b><i>Hybopsis aestivalis</i></b> (Girard), speckled chub: Meek (1895:137); +and Evermann and Cox (1896:409), both as <i>Hybopsis hyostomus</i> +Gilbert. Stations 3-S, 4-S, 14-S, 25-S, 38-S, 39-S, 50-S, and 56-S.</p> + +<p>This species was restricted to wide, swift parts of the Big Blue +and Little Blue rivers, and was found over clean, sometimes shifting, +sand bottoms. On May 29, 1958, three males in breeding condition +were collected and on June 16, 1958, a large series of both +male and female <i>H. aestivalis</i>, all with well-developed gonads, was +collected. The water temperature was 77.0° F. Hubbs and Ortenburger +(1929:25-26) reported that <i>Extrarius tetranemus</i> (Gilbert) +(= <i>Hybopsis aestivalis tetranemus</i>) spawns in summer especially +in early July. Cross (1950:135) reported a single pair of <i>H. a. +tetranemus</i> that he considered in breeding condition on June 9, 1948.</p> + +<p>Breukelman (1940:380) recorded speckled chubs in the Kansas +River Basin as <i>Extrarius</i> (= <i>Hybopsis</i>) <i>aestivalis</i>: <i>sesquialis</i> × +<i>tetranemus</i>; however, the name <i>sesquialis</i> is a <i>nomen nudum</i>, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_420" id="Page_420">[420]</a></span> +the status of this species in the Kansas River Basin is yet to be +elucidated.</p> + +<p><b><i>Phenacobius mirabilis</i></b> (Girard), plains suckermouth minnow: +Meek (1895:136); and Evermann and Cox (1896:408). Stations +2-S, 3-S, 4-S, 5-G, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, 9-G, 11-G, 16-G, 18-G, 25-S, 26-G, +27-G, 35-M, 38-S, 39-S, 40-M, 42-S, 47-M, 50-S, 52-S, 53-S, 54-G, +and 56-S.</p> + +<p><i>Phenacobius mirabilis</i> was widespread in the basin, occurring +most frequently on riffles over bottoms of clean sand or gravel. +Young-of-the-year were usually taken in backwaters.</p> + +<p><b><i>Notropis percobromus</i></b> (Cope), plains shiner. Stations 3-S and +4-S.</p> + +<p>The plains shiner occurred only in the lower part of the main +stream of the Big Blue River.</p> + +<p><b><i>Notropis rubellus</i></b> (Agassiz), rosyface shiner. Station 5-G.</p> + +<p>One rosyface shiner (KU 4195) was taken. This species was previously +reported from only two localities in the Kansas River Basin: +in the Mill Creek Watershed, Wabaunsee County, and Blacksmith +Creek, Shawnee County as <i>Notropis rubrifrons</i> (Cope) (Gilbert, +1886:208). Mill Creek and Blacksmith Creek are northward-flowing +tributaries of the Kansas River that arise in the Flint Hills. +Graham (1885:73) also recorded <i>N. rubellus</i> (as <i>N. rubrifrons</i>) +from the "Kansas and Missouri Rivers"; however, I suspect that his +specimens were <i>Notropis percobromus</i>, a species not generally +recognized in Graham's time (see Hubbs, 1945:16-17). <i>Notropis +rubellus</i> is now abundant in the Mill Creek Watershed (Wabaunsee +County), but, except for my specimen No. 4195, has not been taken +recently in other streams in the Kansas River Basin.</p> + +<p><b><i>Notropis umbratilis umbratilis</i></b> (Girard), redfin shiner. Station +3-S.</p> + +<p>One specimen of <i>N. u. umbratilis</i> was captured near a sandbar +on March 26, 1958. The absence of this species in Flint Hills +streams of the Big Blue River Basin is unexplained; redfin shiners +occur commonly in southern tributaries of the Kansas River both +upstream and downstream from the mouth of the Big Blue River. +In Kansas this species is usually associated with the larger pools +of clear, upland streams.</p> + +<p>Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6-8) may have referred to this species +in recording "black-fin minnows" from the Nebraskan portion of +the Big Blue River Basin.</p> + +<p><b><i>Notropis cornutus frontalis</i></b> (Agassiz), common shiner. Stations +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_421" id="Page_421">[421]</a></span> +4-S, 5-G, 7-G, 10-G, 11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 18-G, 22-G, 26-G, 27-G, 28-G, +29-G, 31-G, 32-G, and 59-G.</p> + +<p>Common shiners were most abundant in middle sections of the +clear, gravelly creeks.</p> + +<p><b><i>Notropis lutrensis</i></b> (Baird and Girard), red shiner: Meek (1895:136); +and Evermann and Cox (1896:404-405). All stations excepting +1-S, 17-G, 30-M, and 51-M.</p> + +<p>Red shiners were the most widespread species taken in my survey, +occurring in all habitats, and in all kinds of streams. On two +occasions I observed what apparently was spawning behavior of +this species. Both times the specimens collected were in the +height of breeding condition, stripping in the hand easily, and +often without pressure. At the first locality (Station 29-G) no attempt +was made to obtain eggs, but by disturbing the bottom at +the second (55-M) I found eggs that were thought to be those of +red shiners. The eggs were slightly adhesive, clinging to the hand +and to the bobbinet seine.</p> + +<p>On June 29, 1958, at Station 29-G, red shiners appeared to be +spawning in an open-water area measuring about 15 by 15 feet, +over nests of <i>Lepomis cyanellus</i> Rafinesque and <i>L. humilis</i> (Girard). +No interspecific activity was noted between the sunfish and the red +shiners. Water temperature at this station was 73.4° F., and the +bottom was gravel, sand, and mud. Observations were made from +a high cut-bank, by naked eye and by use of 7-X binoculars.</p> + +<p>The red shiners moved rapidly at the surface of the water, with +one male (rarely two or more) following one female. The male +followed closely, passing the female and causing her to change +direction. At the moment of the female's hesitation, prior to her +turn, the male would erect his fins in display, at the side and a little +in front of the female. After brief display, usually less than two +seconds, the male resumed the chase, swimming behind and around +the female in a spiral fashion. After a chase of two to three feet, +the female would sometimes allow the male to approach closely on +her left side. The male nudged the female on the caudal peduncle +and in the anal region, moving alongside with his head near the +lower edge of the left operculum of the female, thus placing his +genital pore about a head-length behind and below that of the +female. At this time spawning must have occurred; however, +possibly because of the speed of the chase, I observed no vibration +of the fish as described for other species of <i>Notropis</i> at the culmination +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_422" id="Page_422">[422]</a></span> +of spawning (Pfeiffer, 1955:98; Raney, 1947:106; and others). +While the spawning act presumably occurred the pair was in +forward motion in a straight course, for three to five feet, at the +end of which the male moved rapidly away, gyrating to the side +and down. The female then swam away at a slower rate. In +instances when the female failed to allow the male to move alongside, +the male sometimes increased his speed, striking the female, +and often causing her to jump from the water.</p> + +<p>Some conflict between males was observed, usually when two +or more followed one female. The males would leave the female, +swerve to one side, and stop, facing each other or side by side. At +this moment the fins were greatly elevated in display. There was +usually a rush on the part of one male, resulting in the flight of +the other, and the aggressive male would pursue for about two feet. +Many times the pursued male jumped from the water.</p> + +<p>At Station 55-M, on July 9, 1958, activity similar to that described +above was observed in a small pool near a mass of debris. At this +station I watched from the bank, three feet from the spawning +shiners. Water temperature was not recorded.</p> + +<p>The minnows performed the same types of chase and display, +all in open water, as described for Station 29-G, However, at Station +55-M, much activity of males occurred near the small deposit +of debris. It seemed that conflict was taking place, with males behaving +as described above, and milling violently about. Examination +of the area revealed nests of <i>L. cyanellus</i> near the debris, and +some of the activity by the shiners may have been raids on nests of +the sunfish. However, females nearing the group of males were +immediately chased by one to four individual males, with one +usually continuing pursuit after a short chase by the group. The +male again moved into position at the lower left edge of the operculum +of the female as at Station 29-G.</p> + +<p>Another kind of behavior was observed also, in which the +female sometimes stopped. The male approached, erecting his +fins and arching his body to the left. The female also assumed this +arch to the left, and the pair moved in a tight, counter-clockwise +circle, with the male on the inside. After a short period in this +position, the male moved aside in display, and gyrated to the side +and down. Females at both stations moved about slowly, usually +remaining in the immediate vicinity of activity by males, and returning +to the area even when pursued and deserted some distance +away.</p> + +<p><b><i>Notropis deliciosus</i></b> (Girard), sand shiner: Meek (1895:136); +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_423" id="Page_423">[423]</a></span> +Evermann and Cox (1896:402), both as <i>Notropis blennius</i> (Girard); +and Jennings (1942:365) as <i>Notropis deliciosus missuriensis</i> (Cope). +All stations excepting 1-S, 10-G, 12-G, 17-G, 20-G, 21-G, 22-G, +24-G, 29-G, 30-M, 31-G, 32-G, 33-M, 35-M, 51-M, 55-M, 57-M, 58-G, +and 59-G.</p> + +<p>Nelson (personal communication) has studied the sand shiner in +Kansas, and has found that the Big Blue River is an area of intergradation +between the southwestern subspecies (<i>deliciosus</i>) and the +plains subspecies (<i>missuriensis</i>). <i>Notropis d. deliciosus</i> prefers +cool, rocky habitat, and occurs in small streams of the Flint Hills, +whereas <i>N. d. missuriensis</i> occupies the sandy, turbid Big Blue and +Little Blue rivers. Intergrades occur most frequently in the Big +Blue River, but are found in all habitats.</p> + +<p><b><i>Notropis topeka</i></b> (Gilbert), Topeka shiner: Meek (1895:136); +Evermann and Cox (1896:403); and Minckley and Cross (in press). +Stations 10-G, 11-G, 12-G, 19-G, 31-G, and 32-G.</p> + +<p>This species was common locally in the upland streams. Female +Topeka shiners stripped easily at Station 11-G on July 8, 1958, and +adult <i>N. topeka</i> in high breeding condition were collected at Station +31-G on July 14, 1958. The water temperature at both stations +was 77.5° F. Evermann and Cox (1896:403-404) recorded female +Topeka shiners "nearly ripe" on June 29, 1893.</p> + +<p><b><i>Notropis buchanani</i></b> Meek, ghost shiner. Stations 3-S and 4-S. +Only two specimens of <i>N. buchanani</i> were taken, both on +August 14, 1957. These specimens (KU 3833), a female with +well-developed ova, and a tuberculate male, were near a sandbar +in the main channel. To my knowledge, this is the first published +record of the ghost shiner from the Kansas River Basin. Mr. James +Booth, State Biological Survey, collected <i>N. buchanani</i> from two +stations on Mill Creek, Wabaunsee County, Kansas, 1953.</p> + +<p><b><i>Hybognathus nuchalis</i></b> Agassiz, silvery minnow. Stations 2-S, +3-S, 4-S, 7-G, 8-S, and 16-G.</p> + +<p>This species was taken sporadically, but sometimes abundantly, +in the Big Blue River. At Stations 7-G and 16-G a few young-of-the-year +were found.</p> + +<p>Bailey (1956:333) does not consider the southwestern <i>Hybognathus +placita</i> (Girard) specifically distinct from the northeastern +<i>H. nuchalis</i>, but little evidence of intergradation has been published. +In <a href="#Table_2">Table 2</a>, I have compared measurements and counts +of 50 specimens of <i>Hybognathus</i> from the Big Blue River, 50 <i>H. n. +placita</i> from the Walnut River, Kansas (Arkansas River Basin), +and 50 <i>H. n. nuchalis</i> from Wisconsin. Measurements and counts +were made by methods described by Hubbs and Lagler (1947:8-15) +and measurements are expressed as thousandths of standard length.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_424" id="Page_424">[424]</a></span></p> + +<a name="Table_2" id="Table_2"></a> +<div class="sm_tbl"><span class="smcap">Table 2. Comparisons of Three Series of</span> <i>Hybognathus</i>, <span class="smcap">50 Specimens Each, +from Different Stream Systems. Symbols:</span> X̅ = <span class="smcap">Mean;</span> +σ = <span class="smcap">One Standard Deviation; and</span> 2 σ<sub>m</sub> = <span class="smcap">Two Standard Errors. +Ranges are in Parentheses. Standard Lengths of Specimens are: Walnut River, Kansas, 60.0 to 72.7 mm.</span>, <span style="text-decoration:overline">X</span> = 67.1; +<span class="smcap">Big Blue River, Kansas, 43.3 to 63.3 mm.</span>, <span style="text-decoration:overline">X</span> = 52.0; <span class="smcap">and +Chippewa River, Wisconsin, 57.6 to 74.4 mm.</span>, <span style="text-decoration:overline">X</span> = 65.9.</div> +<br /> +<table width="100%" summary="Hybognathus Comparisons"> +<tr> + <td rowspan="2" class="bt2 bb center"><span class="smcap">Count or Proportional Measurement</span></td> + <td colspan="3" class="bt2 bb bl center">Walnut River, Kansas <br /><i>H. n. placita</i>, KU 3869</td> + <td colspan="3" class="bt2 bb bl center">Big Blue River,<br />Kansas KU 3812</td> + <td colspan="3" class="bt2 bb bl center">Chippewa River,<br /><i>H. n. nuchalis</i>, KU 2012</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="bl bb center"><span style="text-decoration:overline">X</span></td> + <td class="bb bl center">σ</td> + <td class="bb bl center">2 σ<sub>m</sub></td> + <td class="bb bl center"><span style="text-decoration:overline">X</span></td> + <td class="bb bl center">σ</td> + <td class="bb bl center">2 σ<sub>m</sub></td> + <td class="bb bl center"><span style="text-decoration:overline">X</span></td> + <td class="bb bl center">σ</td> + <td class="bb bl center">2 σ<sub>m</sub></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>Lateral-line scales </td> + <td class="bl center">38.9<br />(37-41)</td> + <td class="bl center">1.1</td> + <td class="bl center">0.4</td> + <td class="bl center">37.2<br />(35-39)</td> + <td class="bl center">1.1</td> + <td class="bl center">0.4</td> + <td class="bl center">37.3<br />(35-39)</td> + <td class="bl center">1.0</td> + <td class="bl center">0.2</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>Predorsal scale-rows</td> + <td class="bl center">16.8<br />(15-19)</td> + <td class="bl center">0.9</td> + <td class="bl center">0.7</td> + <td class="bl center">15.9<br />(14-17)</td> + <td class="bl center">0.8</td> + <td class="bl center">0.2</td> + <td class="bl center">15.1<br />(14-17)</td> + <td class="bl center">0.5</td> + <td class="bl center">0.1</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>Scale-rows below lateral-line</td> + <td class="bl center">15.6<br />(13-18)</td> + <td class="bl center">1.2</td> + <td class="bl center">0.3</td> + <td class="bl center">14.9<br />(12-16)</td> + <td class="bl center">1.0</td> + <td class="bl center">0.3</td> + <td class="bl center">12.9<br />(12-15)</td> + <td class="bl center">0.7</td> + <td class="bl center">0.2</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>Scale-rows around caudal peduncle</td> + <td class="bl center">16.2<br />(15-19)</td> + <td class="bl center">1.1</td> + <td class="bl center">0.3</td> + <td class="bl center">15.8<br />(14-18)</td> + <td class="bl center">0.8</td> + <td class="bl center">0.2</td> + <td class="bl center">13.8<br />(12-15)</td> + <td class="bl center">0.6</td> + <td class="bl center">0.2</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>Orbit ÷ standard length</td> + <td class="bl center">.051<br />(044-61)</td> + <td class="bl center">.0035</td> + <td class="bl center">.0010</td> + <td class="bl center">.059<br />(047-71)</td> + <td class="bl center">.0047</td> + <td class="bl center">.0013</td> + <td class="bl center">.068<br />(059-77)</td> + <td class="bl center">.0044</td> + <td class="bl center">.0013 + <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_425" id="Page_425">[425]</a></span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>Gape-width ÷ standard length</td> + <td class="bl center">.066<br />(055-75)</td> + <td class="bl center">.0046</td> + <td class="bl center">.0013</td> + <td class="bl center">.064<br />(055-74)</td> + <td class="bl center">.0044</td> + <td class="bl center">.0013</td> + <td class="bl center">.056<br />(046-64)</td> + <td class="bl center">.0038</td> + <td class="bl center">.0011</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="bb">Orbit ÷ gape-width</td> + <td class="bb bl center">.776<br />(647-945)</td> + <td class="bb bl center">.0083</td> + <td class="bb bl center">.0024</td> + <td class="bb bl center">.907<br />(712-1.067)</td> + <td class="bb bl center">.0080</td> + <td class="bb bl center">.0023</td> + <td class="bb bl center">1.223<br />(953-1.566)</td> + <td class="bb bl center">.0119</td> + <td class="bb bl center">.0034</td> +</tr> +</table> +<br /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_426" id="Page_426">[426]</a></span></p> + +<p><i>Hybognathus</i> from the Big Blue River tend to have fewer, larger +scales than <i>H. n. placita</i> from the Walnut River, Kansas, but more +and smaller scales than <i>H. n. nuchalis</i> from Wisconsin. In specimens +from the Blue River, the size of the orbit divided by standard +length, and the width of gape divided by standard length and +width of orbit, are also intermediate between the Walnut River and +Wisconsin specimens, but tend toward the former. Specimens from +the Big Blue River resemble <i>H. n. placita</i> from the Walnut River +in body shape, robustness, and in the embedding of scales on the +nape.</p> + +<p><b><i>Pimephales notatus</i></b> (Rafinesque), bluntnose minnow: Meek +(1895:136); and Evermann and Cox (1896:399). Stations 2-S, 3-S, +5-G, 6-S, 8-S, 9-G, 10-G, 11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 19-G, 27-G, 29-G, +53-S, 54-G, and 58-G.</p> + +<p>The bluntnose minnow preferred the clearer creeks, with gravel +or gravel-silt bottoms, but occurred rarely in the mainstream of the +Big Blue River. Males and females in high breeding condition +were taken on July 14, 1958. The temperature of the water was +75.5° F.</p> + +<p><b><i>Pimephales promelas</i></b> Rafinesque, fathead minnow: Meek (1895: +136); and Evermann and Cox (1896:397-398). All stations excepting +1-S, 4-S, 12-G, 30-M, 43-S, 44-S, and 56-S.</p> + +<p>Small muddy streams were preferred by <i>P. promelas</i>; however, +the fathead minnow was taken in all habitats, and in association +with most other species.</p> + +<p>Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6-7) may have recorded <i>P. promelas</i> +from the Big Blue River Basin, Nebraska, as "blackhead minnows."</p> + +<p><b><i>Campostoma anomalum plumbeum</i></b> (Girard), stoneroller. All +stations excepting 1-S, 2-S, 3-S, 14-S, 15-S, 21-G, 22-G, 28-G, 30-M, +33-M, 34-M, 35-M, 36-M, 37-M, 38-S, 41-S, 44-S, 45-M, 51-M, +52-S, and 55-M.</p> + +<p>Stonerollers were usually taken in riffles with gravel-rubble bottoms. +Those individuals collected in areas with mud or sand +bottoms were almost invariably in the current, or in the edge of +currents.</p> + +<p>Specimens from the Big Blue River Basin have an average of +47.4 scale-rows around the body (range 42-54).</p> + +<p><b><i>Ictalurus melas</i></b> (Rafinesque), black bullhead: Evermann and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_427" id="Page_427">[427]</a></span> +Cox (1896:387) as <i>Ameiurus melas</i> (Rafinesque); and Canfield +and Wiebe (1931:5-7, 10) as "bullheads." Stations 2-S, 6-S, 7-G, +11-G, 16-G, 20-G, 22-G, 23-G, 24-G, 28-G, 35-M, 40-M, 51-M, 53-S, +55-M, 56-S, 57-M, and 58-G.</p> + +<p>Black bullhead occurred in all habitats, but were less commonly +taken in the Big Blue and Little Blue rivers than in other streams.</p> + +<p><b><i>Ictalurus natalis</i></b> (LeSueur), yellow bullhead. Stations 7-G, 9-G, +10-G, 11-G, 17-G, 18-G, 19-G, 34-M, 35-M, 36-M, 37-M, 40-M, 47-M, +48-M, 53-S, and 55-M.</p> + +<p>The yellow bullhead inhabited the muddy-bottomed streams and +the upland, gravelly creeks, usually occurring in the headwaters. +I obtained only one <i>I. natalis</i> in the sandy Big Blue River.</p> + +<p><b><i>Ictalurus punctatus</i></b> (Rafinesque), channel catfish: Cragin (1885:107); +Meek (1895:135); Evermann and Cox (1896:386); and Canfield +and Wiebe (1931:6-7, 10) as "channel catfish." Stations 1-S, +2-S, 3-S, 4-S, 5-G, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, 9-G, 11-G, 14-S, 15-S, 16-G, 18-G, +25-S, 27-G, 30-M, 35-M, 38-S, 39-S, 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, 44-S, 46-M, +50-S, 51-M, 52-S, 53-S, and 56-S.</p> + +<p>Channel catfish were most common in the larger, sandy streams, +but occurred in other kinds of streams. The ages and calculated +total lengths at the last annulus for 40 channel catfish were: I, no +fish; II, 7.3 (16); III, 10.6 (5); IV, 12.3 (5); V, 13.3 (6); VI, 15.5 +(4); VII, 18.0 (3); and VIII, 21.9 (1). These lengths are slightly +lower than averages reported by Finnell and Jenkins (1954:5) in +Oklahoma impoundments.</p> + +<p>The length-frequency distribution of 438 channel catfish, collected +by rotenone on August 5 and 7, 1958, indicated that two +age-groups were represented. Without examination of spines, I +assigned 265 fish to age-group O (1.3 to 2.9 inches, average 2.5) +and 173 fish to age-group I (3.1 to 5.8 inches, average 4.5). The +average total length of age group I (4.5 inches) is only slightly +higher than the total length at the first annulus reported as average +for Oklahoma (4.0 inches, Finnell and Jenkins, <i>loc. cit.</i>). It seems +unlikely that my yearling fish taken in August, 1958, would have +reached the length at the second annulus recorded in my study of +spines (7.3 inches) by the end of the 1958 growing season.</p> + +<p>From 1952 to 1956, severe drought was prevalent in Kansas, +probably causing streams to flow less than at any previously recorded +time (Minckley and Cross, in press). This drought must +have resulted in reduced populations of fishes in the streams. The +channel catfish hatched in 1956 were therefore subjected to low +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_428" id="Page_428">[428]</a></span> +competition for food and space when normal flow was resumed in +1957, and grew rapidly, reaching an average total length of 7.3 +inches at the second annulus, while channel catfish that were members +of the large 1957 and 1958 hatches suffered more competition +and grew more slowly.</p> + +<p><b><i>Noturus flavus</i></b> Rafinesque, stonecat: Jennings (1942:365). Stations +3-S, 4-S, 6-S, 16-G, 25-S, 28-G, 38-S, 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, 52-S, 53-S, +and 56-S.</p> + +<p><i>Noturus flavus</i> frequented riffles and swift currents along sandbars +in the Big Blue and Little Blue rivers. Cross (1954:311) reported +that "the shale-strewn riffles of the South Fork [of the +Cottonwood River, Kansas] provide ideal habitat for the stonecat." +In my study-area, this species was found not only on rubble-bottomed +riffles, but occurred along both stationary and shifting +sandbars where no cover was apparent.</p> + +<p><b><i>Pylodictis olivaris</i></b> (Rafinesque), flathead catfish: Canfield and +Wiebe (1931:7) as "yellow catfish." Stations 3-S, 4-S, 6-S, 8-S, +15-S, 25-S, 38-S, 41-S, 43-S, 44-S, 53-S, and 56-S.</p> + +<p>Flathead catfish were found only in the larger rivers. The species +was taken rarely by seine, but was readily obtained by electric +shocker. Data on the age and growth and food-habits of this +species are to be the subject of another paper.</p> + +<p><b><i>Anguilla bostoniensis</i></b> (LeSueur), American eel: Jennings (1942:365).</p> + +<p>American eels are now rare in Kansas, and none was taken in my +survey. The specimen reported by Jennings (<i>loc. cit.</i>) is at Kansas +State College (KSC 2916), and was taken by I. D. Graham from +the Big Blue River, Riley County, 1885.</p> + +<p><b><i>Fundulus kansae</i></b> Garman, plains killifish. Station 42-S.</p> + +<p>The plains killifish was collected by me only at Station 42-S. +Specimens were collected from my Station 4-S by the Kansas State +College class in fisheries management in 1954 (KSC 4985). My +specimens were 11 to 13 mm. in total length.</p> + +<p><b><i>Roccus chrysops</i></b> (Rafinesque), white bass. Station 3-S.</p> + +<p>That the white bass is indigenous to Kansas is evidenced by +records of Graham (1885:77) and Cragin (1885:111); however, +since that time, and prior to the introduction of this species into +reservoirs in the State, <i>R. chrysops</i> has rarely been recorded in +Kansas. I collected young white bass at Station 3-S in both 1957 +and 1958, and I collected them also in an oxbow of the Kansas River +four miles west of Manhattan, Riley County, Kansas, in the mouth +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_429" id="Page_429">[429]</a></span> +of McDowell's Creek, Riley County, and in Deep Creek, Wabaunsee +County, and I saw other specimens from an oxbow of the +Kansas River on the Fort Riley Military Reservation, Riley County, +Kansas. The apparent increase in abundance of white bass in the +Kansas River Basin must be attributable to introductions in reservoirs, +with subsequent escape and establishment in the streams.</p> + +<p><b><i>Micropterus salmoides salmoides</i></b> (Lacépède), largemouth bass. +Stations 6-S, 11-G, 43-S, and 45-M.</p> + +<p>Four largemouth bass were taken. This species has been widely +stocked in farm-ponds and other impoundments in Kansas.</p> + +<p><b><i>Lepomis cyanellus</i></b> Rafinesque, green sunfish: Breukelman (1940:382); +and Canfield and Wiebe (1931:5, 7-8, 10) as "green sunfish." +All stations excepting 1-S, 2-S, 4-S, 8-S, 9-G, 15-S, 22-G, 25-S, +30-M, 32-G, 34-M, 38-S, 39-S, 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, 44-S, 45-M, 46-M, +47-M, 50-S, and 52-S.</p> + +<p>Green sunfish occurred primarily in the muddy streams. The ages +and total lengths at the last annulus for 25 specimens are as follows: +I, 1.1 (9); II, 2.2 (4); III, 3.1 (7); IV, 5.4 (4); and V, 6.0 (1). +Male green sunfish were seen on nests on June 29, July 1, and +July 9, 1958.</p> + +<p><b><i>Lepomis humilis</i></b> (Girard), orangespotted sunfish: Meek (1895:137); +Evermann and Cox (1896:418); Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6) +as "orange spots"; and Breukelman (1940:382). All stations excepting +1-S, 9-G, 13-G, 15-G, 17-G, 21-G, 26-G, 34-M, 36-M, 38-M, 43-M, +44-S, 47-M, 50-S, and 52-S.</p> + +<p><i>Lepomis humilis</i> was most common over sand-silt bottoms. Only +two age-groups were found; their calculated total lengths were +I, 1.7 (15); and II, 2.4 (10). Orangespotted sunfish were seen nesting +on the same dates as <i>Lepomis cyanellus</i>.</p> + +<p><b><i>Lepomis macrochirus</i></b> Rafinesque, bluegill. Stations 7-G, 13-G, +16-G, 24-G, and 59-G.</p> + +<p>This species has been widely stocked in Kansas. Only young-of-the-year +and sub-adults were taken, and these were rare.</p> + +<p><b><i>Pomoxis annularis</i></b> Rafinesque, white crappie: Canfield and +Wiebe (1931:5-8, 10) as "white crappie." Stations 3-S, 6-S, 8-S, +12-G, 42-S, and 53-S.</p> + +<p>White crappie were rare, except in a borrow-pit at Station 6-S. +Ages and calculated total lengths at the last annulus for 50 specimens +from 6-S are as follows: I, 3.6 (22); II, 5.0 (14); III, 7.1 (5); +IV, 8.3 (7); and V, 10.7 (2).</p> + +<p><b><i>Pomoxis nigromaculatus</i></b> (LeSueur), black crappie. Station 6-S.</p> + +<p>One black crappie (KU 4174) was taken. Canfield and Wiebe +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_430" id="Page_430">[430]</a></span> +(1931:10) noted: "The Black Crappie has been planted here [Big +Blue River Basin in Nebraska] by the State, but, apparently, is not +propagating itself."</p> + +<p><b><i>Stizostedion canadense</i></b> (Smith), sauger. Station 56-S.</p> + +<p>Mr. Larry Stallbaumer, of Marysville, Kansas, obtained a sauger +(KU 4179) while angling on May 25, 1958.</p> + +<p><b><i>Stizostedion vitreum</i></b> (Mitchill), walleye.</p> + +<p>Though I failed to obtain the walleye in my survey, Dr. Raymond +E. Johnson (personal communication) reported that the +species occurred in the Nebraskan portion of the Big Blue River +in recent years. Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6, 10) reported that +"yellow pike are taken at Crete [Nebraska]," but may have referred +to either the walleye or the sauger.</p> + +<p><b><i>Perca flavescens</i></b> (Mitchill), yellow perch: Canfield and Wiebe +(1931:5-6, 10) as "ring perch" and "yellow perch."</p> + +<p>This fish was not taken in my survey. Canfield and Wiebe (<i>loc. +cit</i>.) reported that the yellow perch "had been planted by the +State [Nebraska]."</p> + +<p><b><i>Etheostoma nigrum nigrum</i></b> Rafinesque, johnny darter: Jennings +(1942:365) as <i>Boleosoma nigrum nigrum</i> (Rafinesque). Stations +10-G, 11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 29-G, 40-M, 53-S, and 54-G.</p> + +<p>The larger pools of gravelly streams were preferred by johnny +darters, but one specimen was taken from the main stream of the +Big Blue River, and the species was abundant in one stream over +hard, sand-silt bottom.</p> + +<p><b><i>Etheostoma spectabile pulchellum</i></b> (Girard), orangethroat +darter: Jennings (1942:365) as <i>Poecilichthys spectabilis pulchellus</i> +(Girard). Stations 5-G, 7-G, 10-G, 11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 17-G, +18-G, 21-G, 23-G, 27-G, 28-G, 29-G, 33-M, 40-M, 49-M, 53-S, +54-G, and 59-G.</p> + +<p>The orangethroat darter was less restricted in habitat than the +johnny darter, occurring in all stream-types, but most often in the +riffles of gravelly streams. Most specimens from muddy or sandy +streams were small.</p> + +<p><b><i>Aplodinotus grunniens</i></b> Rafinesque, freshwater drum. Stations +3-S, 4-S, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, 15-S, 38-S, 39-S, 53-S, and 56-S.</p> + +<p>The ages and calculated total lengths at the last annulus for 42 +freshwater drum from the Big Blue River were: I, 3.0 (10); II, +5.7 (6); III, 9.4 (7); IV, 12.1 (13); V, 14.0 (3); VI, 15.1 (2); and +VII, 16.3 (1).</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_431" id="Page_431">[431]</a></span></p> + +<a name="HYBRID_COMBINATIONS" id="HYBRID_COMBINATIONS"></a> +<div class="caption2">HYBRID COMBINATIONS</div> + +<p>I obtained two hybrid fishes in my study-area. One specimen of +<i>Notropis cornutus frontalis</i> × <i>Chrosomus erythrogaster</i> was taken +at Station 29-G. This combination was recorded by Trautman +(1957:114) in Ohio. The other hybrid was <i>Lepomis cyanellus</i> × +<i>Lepomis humilis</i>, captured at Station 24-G. This combination was +first recorded by Hubbs and Ortenburger (1929:42).</p> + +<p>Hubbs and Bailey (1952:144) recorded another hybrid combination +from my area of study: <i>Campostoma anomalum plumbeum</i> × +<i>Chrosomus erythrogaster</i>, UMMZ 103132, from a "spring-fed creek +on 'Doc' Wagner's farm, Riley County, Kansas; September 21, +1927; L. O. Nolf [collector]."</p> + +<a name="RELATIVE_ABUNDANCE_AND_DISCUSSION_OF_SPECIES" id="RELATIVE_ABUNDANCE_AND_DISCUSSION_OF_SPECIES"></a> +<div class="caption2">RELATIVE ABUNDANCE AND DISCUSSION OF SPECIES</div> + +<p>The relative abundance of different species was estimated by +combining counts of individual fishes taken in 290 seine-hauls, 26 +hours and 15 minutes of shocking, and seven samples obtained with +rotenone. At some stations all seine-hauls were counted. At other +stations the seine-hauls in which complete counts were recorded +had been selected randomly in advance; that is to say, prior to +collecting at each station. I selected those hauls to be counted +from a table of random numbers (Snedecor, 1956:10-13). I did +not use the frequency-of-occurrence method as proposed by Starrett +(1950:114), in which the species taken and not the total number +of individuals are recorded for all seine-hauls. However, the frequency +of occurrence of each species is indicated by the number +of stations at which it was found, and those stations are listed in +the previous accounts. <a href="#Table_3">Table 3</a> shows the percentage of the total +number of fish that each species comprised in three kinds of streams: +sandy (Big Blue and Little Blue rivers), muddy, and gravelly +streams.</p> + +<p>The habitat preferences of some species affect their abundance +in different stream-types. <i>Notropis lutrensis</i> and <i>P. mirabilis</i> seemed +almost ubiquitous. <i>Notropis deliciosus</i> also occurred in all kinds +of streams (rarely in muddy streams); however, this species was +represented by the sand-loving <i>N. d. missuriensis</i> in the Big Blue +and Little Blue rivers, and <i>N. d. deliciosus</i> in the clear, gravelly, +upland creeks (Nelson, personal communication). Because of its +widespread occurrence, and for purposes of later discussion, I refer +to this minnow also as an ubiquitous species in the Big Blue River +Basin.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_432" id="Page_432">[432]</a></span></p> + +<a name="Table_3" id="Table_3"></a> +<div class="sm_tbl justify"><span class="smcap">Table 3. Relative Abundance of Fishes in Per Cent of the Total +Number Taken, Big Blue River Basin, Kansas. Trace (Tr.) Is Used +for Values Less Than .05 Per Cent, and Dashes Signify that the +Species Did Not Occur in the Counted Collections Although it May +Have Occurred in Uncounted Collections from the Same Stream-type. +Three Species,</span> <i>C. auratus</i>, <i>N. buchanani</i>, <span class="smcap">and</span> <i>S. canadense</i>, <span class="smcap">Were Not +Taken in Counted Collections.</span></div> +<br /> +<table width="100%" summary="Relative Abundance"> +<tr> + <td rowspan="2" class="bt2 bb center smcap">Species</td> + <td colspan="2" class="bt2 bl center">Sandy streams</td> + <td rowspan="2" class="bt2 bb bl center">Muddy streams</td> + <td rowspan="2" class="bt2 bb bl center">Gravelly streams</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="bt bb bl center">Big Blue River</td> + <td class="bt bb bl center">Little Blue River</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td style="padding-top: 0.5em;"><i>N. lutrensis</i></td><td class="bl center">43.5</td> + <td class="bl center">55.9</td> + <td class="bl center">27.6</td> + <td class="bl center">56.0</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>I. punctatus</i></td> + <td class="bl center">14.0</td> + <td class="bl center">7.0</td> + <td class="bl center">1.2</td> + <td class="bl center">4.2</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>Carpiodes carpio</i></td> + <td class="bl center">11.9</td> + <td class="bl center">2.0</td> + <td class="bl center">5.0</td> + <td class="bl center">0.5</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>N. deliciosus</i></td> + <td class="bl center">8.2</td> + <td class="bl center">28.2</td> + <td class="bl center">3.1</td> + <td class="bl center">11.1</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>I. melas</i></td> + <td class="bl center">2.5</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">1.3</td> + <td class="bl center">0.5</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>Cyprinus carpio</i></td> + <td class="bl center">2.3</td> + <td class="bl center">1.9</td> + <td class="bl center">2.7</td> + <td class="bl center">0.2</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>P. olivaris</i></td> + <td class="bl center">1.8</td> + <td class="bl center">0.8</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>L. humilis</i></td> + <td class="bl center">1.7</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">9.0</td> + <td class="bl center">5.1</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>I. bubalus</i></td> + <td class="bl center">1.4</td> + <td class="bl center">0.1</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>P. mirabilis</i></td> + <td class="bl center">1.3</td> + <td class="bl center">0.7</td> + <td class="bl center">0.3</td> + <td class="bl center">1.3</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td><i>H. nuchalis</i></td> + <td class="bl center">1.2</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td><i>P. promelas</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.8</td> + <td class="bl center">1.0</td> + <td class="bl center">28.7</td> + <td class="bl center">4.0</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td><i>H. aestivalis</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.7</td> + <td class="bl center">0.2</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td><i>A. grunniens</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.5</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">0.2</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td><i>L. osseus</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.5</td> + <td class="bl center">1.0</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td><i>C. anomalum</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.4</td> + <td class="bl center">0.2</td> + <td class="bl center">2.7</td> + <td class="bl center">4.6</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td><i>C. commersonnii</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.4</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">0.7</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td><i>D. cepedianum</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.4</td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> + <td class="bl center">0.1</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td><i>N. percobromus</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.3</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td><i>P. annularis</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.3</td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td><i>N. flavus</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.2</td> + <td class="bl center">0.4</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td><i>S. atromaculatus</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.2</td> + <td class="bl center">0.1</td> + <td class="bl center">12.2</td> + <td class="bl center">1.7</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td><i>M. aureolum</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.1</td> + <td class="bl center">0.2</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>I. cyprinella</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.1</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">0.1</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>P. notatus</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.1</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">2.2</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>I. niger</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.1</td> + <td class="bl center">0.1</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>H. alosoides</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.1</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>E. spectabile</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.1</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">1.4</td> + <td class="bl center">1.6</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>R. chrysops</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.1</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>L. cyanellus</i></td> + <td class="bl center">0.1</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">3.5</td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>H. storeriana</i></td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>L. platostomus</i></td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>M. salmoides</i></td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>P. nigromaculatus</i></td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>I. natalis</i></td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">1.0</td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>N. umbratilis</i></td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>C. forbesi</i></td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>S. platorynchus</i></td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>F. kansae</i></td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>E. nigrum</i></td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">0.1</td> + <td class="bl center">0.2</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>N. rubellus</i></td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">Tr.</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>N. topeka</i></td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">1.0</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>N. cornutus</i></td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">1.0</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><i>C. erythrogaster</i></td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">—</td> + <td class="bl center">1.0</td> +</tr> +<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 0.5em;" class="bb"><i>L. macrochirus</i></td> + <td class="bb bl center">—</td> + <td class="bb bl center">—</td> + <td class="bb bl center">—</td> + <td class="bb bl center">1.0</td> +</tr> +</table> +<br /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_433" id="Page_433">[433]</a></span></p> + +<p><i>Carpiodes carpio</i>, <i>Cyprinus carpio</i>, <i>I. punctatus</i>, <i>I. melas</i>, and <i>L. +humilis</i> were widespread, but each was absent or rare in one of +the kinds of streams (<a href="#Table_3">Table 3</a>). <i>Carpiodes carpio</i>, <i>Cyprinus carpio</i>, +and <i>I. punctatus</i> occurred most frequently in the sandy streams, +whereas <i>L. humilis</i> was most common in muddy streams. The high +per cent of <i>I. melas</i> in collections from the Big Blue River is a direct +result of one large population that was taken with rotenone in a +borrow-pit at Station 6-S. In my opinion, this species actually +was most abundant in the muddy streams.</p> + +<p>Some fish were almost restricted to the sandy streams, apparently +because of preference for larger waters, or sandy stream-bottoms: +<i>P. olivaris</i>, <i>I. bubalus</i>, <i>H. nuchalis</i>, <i>H. aestivalis</i>, <i>A. grunniens</i>, <i>L. +osseus</i>, <i>D. cepedianum</i>, <i>N. percobromus</i>, <i>P. annularis</i>, <i>N. flavus</i>, <i>M. +aureolum</i>, <i>I. niger</i>, <i>H. alosiodes</i>, and <i>R. chrysops</i>. Other species +that were taken only in the larger rivers, and that are sometimes +associated with streams even larger (or more sandy) than the Big +Blue River are <i>H. storeriana</i>, <i>L. platostomus</i>, <i>M. salmoides</i>, <i>P. nigromaculatus</i>, +<i>C. forbesi</i>, <i>S. platorynchus</i>, <i>F. kansae</i>, <i>N. buchanani</i>, +<i>S. canadense</i>, and <i>C. auratus</i>. <i>Ictiobus cyprinella</i> also occurred +more frequently in the larger streams.</p> + +<p>The muddy-bottomed streams supported populations composed +primarily of <i>P. promelas</i>, <i>N. lutrensis</i>, and <i>S. atromaculatus</i>. No +species was restricted to this habitat, but the following were +characteristic there: <i>P. promelas</i>, <i>S. atromaculatus</i>, <i>L. humilis</i>, +<i>L. cyanellus</i>, and <i>I. natalis</i>. <i>Carpiodes carpio</i>, <i>Cyprinus carpio</i>, +<i>C. anomalum</i>, <i>E. spectabile</i>, and <i>E. nigrum</i> were locally common in +muddy streams, but the first two were most frequent in larger, +sandy streams, and the last three in gravelly streams.</p> + +<p>In gravel-bottomed, upland streams, <i>N. cornutus</i>, <i>N. rubellus</i>, +<i>N. topeka</i>, and <i>C. erythrogaster</i> characteristically occurred; with +the exception of <i>N. rubellus</i> (only one specimen taken), all were +common at some stations. Other species in gravelly creeks were +<i>N. lutrensis</i>, <i>C. anomalum</i>, <i>C. commersonnii</i>, <i>P. notatus</i>, <i>L. macrochirus</i>, +<i>E. spectabile</i>, and <i>E. nigrum</i>. Although the one specimen of +<i>N. umbratilis</i> taken in this survey was from the Big Blue River, this +species is more characteristic of the clearer creeks in Kansas.</p> + +<p>In order to illustrate the composition of the fauna in some specific +streams in the Big Blue River Basin, I segregated the fishes into +ecological groups, as in the above discussion: ubiquitous types; +species of larger, sandy streams; fishes of muddy streams; and +fishes of clear, gravelly creeks.</p> + +<p>The total number of species taken in each of the streams was +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_434" id="Page_434">[434]</a></span> +divided into the number of species from that stream that were in +each of these units, to give a percentage. The resultant data are +presented graphically in <a href="#fig3">Figure 3</a>.</p> +<br /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:600px"> +<a name="fig3" id="fig3"></a> +<img src="images/fig_3.png" width="600" height="329" alt="" title="" /><br /> +<span class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 3.</span> Composition of the fauna of the entire Big Blue River Basin, and of +seven streams or stream systems in that basin. "Mill Creek, Wash. Co." refers +to all streams in the Mill Creek System, Washington and Republic counties. +"Bl. Vermillion R. System" includes all streams in that watershed excepting +Clear Creek and one of its tributaries (Stations 31-G and 32-G).</span> +</div> +<br /> +<br /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:605px"> +<a name="fig4" id="fig4"></a> +<img src="images/fig_4.png" width="605" height="271" alt="" title="" /><br /> +<span class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 4.</span> Composition of the fauna of the Big Blue River, and of five collecting-sites +on Carnahan Creek, Pottawatomie County. Lowermost sites are at the +left of the figure.</span> +</div> +<br /> + +<p><a href="#fig3">Figure 3</a> gives a generalized picture of the faunal composition in +different kinds of streams. However, the fauna of a small tributary +becomes more distinct from the fauna of the larger stream into +which the small stream flows as one moves toward the headwaters +(Metcalf, 1957:92, 95-100). <a href="#fig4">Figure 4</a> illustrates this in Carnahan +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_435" id="Page_435">[435]</a></span> +Creek. Station 11-G included four sampling-sites, which were approximately +one, two, three, and four miles upstream from the +mouth of Carnahan Creek. Station 13-G (one collection) was +about four miles upstream from the closest sampling-site of Station +11-G. Applying the same methods as for <a href="#fig3">Figure 3</a>, my findings +show a gradual decline in the per cent of the fauna represented +by the "large-river-fishes," and an increase in the segment classified +as "upland-fishes," from downstream to upstream.</p> + +<a name="CREEL_CENSUS" id="CREEL_CENSUS"></a> +<div class="caption2">CREEL CENSUS</div> + +<p>Fifty-three fishermen were interviewed in the 1957 creel census +period, and 152 in 1958. Only those fishermen using pole and line +were interviewed. In the area censused, much additional fishing is +done with set-lines, that are checked periodically by the owners.</p> + +<p>In the 1958 census, 22 checks along approximately 80 miles of +river were made, and seven of these trips were made without seeing +one fisherman. The average fishing pressure for the entire area +was estimated at one fisherman per 7.9 miles of stream, or one +fisherman per 15.7 miles of shoreline.</p> + +<p>Seven species of fish were identified from fishermen's creels in +1957 and 1958. These, in order of abundance were: channel catfish; +carp; freshwater drum; flathead catfish; shovelnose sturgeon; +smallmouth buffalo; and river carpsucker. Shovelnose sturgeon +occurred in fishermen's creels only in April, 1957, and freshwater +drum occurred more frequently in the spring-census of 1957 than +in the summer of 1958.</p> + +<p>Sixty-two of the fishermen interviewed in 1958 were fishing for +"anything they could catch," 68 were fishing specifically for catfish, +and 22 sought species other than catfish. The order of preference +was as follows: channel catfish, 21.1 per cent; flathead catfish, 15.1 +per cent; unspecified catfish, 12.5 per cent; carp, 9.2 per cent; freshwater +drum, 1.3 per cent; and unspecified, 40.8 per cent. The kinds +of fish desired by those fishermen checked in 1957 were not +ascertained.</p> + +<p>Of all fishermen checked in 1957 and 1958, 165 were men, 17 were +women, and 24 were children. Ninety-three per cent were fishing +from the bank, five per cent were fishing from bridges, and two +per cent were wading. All but two per cent of those checked were +fishing "tightline"; the remainder fished with a cork.</p> + +<p>The ten baits most commonly used, in order of frequency, were +worms, doughballs, minnows, liver, beef-spleen, chicken-entrails, +coagulated blood, crayfish, shrimp, and corn.</p> + +<p>For purposes of later comparison the data on angler success +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_436" id="Page_436">[436]</a></span> +(<a href="#Table_4">Table 4</a>) have been divided according to areas: Area I, below +Tuttle Creek Dam; Area II, in the Tuttle Creek Reservoir area; and +Area III, above the reservoir. Areas I and III received the most +fishing pressure, especially Station 4-S (in Area I), and Station +56-S (in Area III).</p> + +<p>In Area I, the success ranged from 0.91 fish per fisherman-day +in 1957 to 0.26 fish per fisherman-day in 1958. The 1957 census +was made in April and May, when fishing in warm-water streams +is considered better than in July (Harrison, 1956:203). The 1958 +census was from late June through July, and stream-flow in this +period was continuously above normal. Therefore, fewer people +fished the river, and catches were irregular. Catches in 1958 +ranged from 0.26 fish per fisherman-day in Area I to 0.44 fish per +fisherman-day in Area III. In 1951, in the Republican River of +Kansas and Nebraska, the average fisherman-day yielded 0.36 fish, +0.09 fish per man-hour, and 0.06 fish per pole-hour (U. S. Fish and +Wildlife Service, 1952:13-14). The average fisherman-day in the +Republican River study was 3.0 hours, whereas the average on the +Big Blue River was 2.2 hours for all areas in 1958 (<a href="#Table_4">Table 4</a>).</p> + +<a name="Table_4" id="Table_4"></a> +<div class="smcap_tbl">Table 4. Angling Success in the Big Blue River, Kansas, 1957 and 1958.</div> +<br /> +<table width="100%" summary="Angling Success"> +<tr> + <td class="bt2 bb smcap center">Area, Year, and Number<br />of Fishermen</td> + <td class="bt2 bb bl center">Average length of fisherman-day</td> + <td class="bt2 bb bl center">Number fish per fisherman-day</td> + <td class="bt2 bb bl center">Number fish per man-hour</td> + <td class="bt2 bb bl center">Number fish per pole-hour + <a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td style="padding-top: 0.5em;">Area I, 1957<br /> 53 fishermen</td> + <td class="bl center">2.7 hours</td> + <td class="bl center">0.91</td> + <td class="bl center">0.33</td> + <td class="bl center">0.23</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td style="padding-top: 0.5em;">Area I, 1958<br /> 84 fishermen</td> + <td class="bl center">2.5 hours</td> + <td class="bl center">0.26</td> + <td class="bl center">0.10</td> + <td class="bl center">0.07</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td style="padding-top: 0.5em;">Area II, 1958<br /> 27 fishermen</td> + <td class="bl center">1.7 hours</td> + <td class="bl center">0.37</td> + <td class="bl center">0.22</td> + <td class="bl center">0.14</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td style="padding-top: 0.5em;">Area III, 1958<br /> 41 fishermen</td> + <td class="bl center">2.4 hours</td> + <td class="bl center">0.44</td> + <td class="bl center">0.16</td> + <td class="bl center">0.11</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="bb" style="padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.5em;">All areas, 1958<br /> 152 fishermen</td> + <td class="bb bl center">2.2 hours</td> + <td class="bb bl center">0.33</td> + <td class="bb bl center">0.14</td> + <td class="bb bl center">0.09</td> +</tr> +</table> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> Fishermen used an average of 1.44 poles.</p></div> +<br /> + +<p>In the Big Blue River 47.7 per cent of all fishermen were successful +in Area I in 1957, while only 13.1 per cent were successful +in the same area in 1958 (<a href="#Table_5">Table 5</a>). In the Republican River, 24 +per cent of the fishing parties were successful (1.64 persons per +party) (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, <i>loc. cit.</i>). The average +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_437" id="Page_437">[437]</a></span> +distance that each fisherman had traveled to fish in the Big Blue +River was 15.7 miles. Seventy-nine per cent of the persons contacted +lived within 25 miles of the spots where they fished. In +the study on the Republican River, 77 per cent of the parties interviewed +came less than 25 miles to fish.</p> + +<a name="Table_5" id="Table_5"></a> +<div class="smcap_tbl">Table 5. Per Cent of Total Fishermen Successful, and Distances +Travelled to Fish, Big Blue River Basin, Kansas, 1957 and 1958. All +Distances Were Measured in Airline Miles.</div> +<br /> +<table width="100%" summary="Fishermaen Success Rates"> +<tr> + <td class="bt2 bb"> </td> + <td class="bt2 bl bb center">1957 Area I</td> + <td class="bt2 bl bb center">1958 Area I</td> + <td class="bt2 bl bb center">1958 Area II</td> + <td class="bt2 bl bb center">1958 Area III</td> + <td class="bt2 bl bb center">1958 All areas</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td style="padding-top: 0.5em;">Per cent of fishermen successful</td> + <td class="bl center">47.1</td> + <td class="bl center">13.1</td> + <td class="bl center">18.5</td> + <td class="bl center">19.5</td> + <td class="bl center">15.8</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td style="padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.5em;" class="bb">Distances traveled to fish<br />(averages in parentheses)</td> + <td class="bb bl center">0-121<br />(15.6)</td> + <td class="bb bl center">1-197<br />(20.5)</td> + <td class="bb bl center">0-124<br />(13.5)</td> + <td class="bb bl center">0-60<br />(7.4)</td> + <td class="bb bl center">0-197<br />(15.7)</td> +</tr> +</table> +<br /> + +<a name="RECOMMENDATIONS" id="RECOMMENDATIONS"></a> +<div class="caption2">RECOMMENDATIONS</div> + +<p>My primary recommendation is for continued study of the +Tuttle Creek Reservoir, and the Big Blue River above and below +the reservoir, to trace changes in the fish population that result +from impoundment.</p> + +<p>Probably the fishes that inhabit the backwaters, creek-mouths, +and borrow-pits in the Big Blue River Basin (gars, shad, carpsucker, +buffalo, carp, sunfishes, and white bass) will increase in abundance +as soon as Tuttle Creek Reservoir is formed. Also, as in eastern +Oklahoma reservoirs (see Finnell, <i>et al</i>., 1956:61-73), populations +of channel and flathead catfish should increase. Because of the +presence of brood-stock of the major sport-fishes of Kansas (channel +and flathead catfish, bullhead, bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, +and white bass), stocking of these species would be an economic +waste: exception might be made for the white bass. It may be +above Tuttle Creek Dam, but was not found there.</p> + +<p>I do recommend immediate introduction of walleye, and possibly +northern pike (<i>Esox lucius</i> Linnaeus), the latter species having +been successfully stocked in Harlan County Reservoir, Nebraska, +in recent years (Mr. Donald D. Poole, personal communication). +These two species probably are native to Kansas, but may have +been extirpated as agricultural development progressed. Reservoirs +may again provide habitats suitable for these species in the State.</p> + +<p>If Tuttle Creek Reservoir follows the pattern found in most +Oklahoma reservoirs, large populations of "coarse fish"—fishes that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_438" id="Page_438">[438]</a></span> +are, however, commercially desirable—will develop (Finnell, <i>et al.</i>, +<i>loc. cit.</i>). To utilize this resource, and possibly to help control +"coarse fish" populations for the betterment of sport-fishing, some +provision for commercial harvest should be made in the reservoir.</p> + +<a name="SUMMARY" id="SUMMARY"></a> +<div class="caption2">SUMMARY</div> + +<p>1. The Big Blue River Basin in northeastern Kansas was studied +between March 30, 1957, and August 9, 1958. The objectives were +to record the species of fish present and their relative abundance +in the stream, and to obtain a measure of angling success prior +to closure of Tuttle Creek Dam.</p> + +<p>2. Fifty-nine stations were sampled one or more times, using +seines, hoop and fyke nets, wire traps, experimental gill nets, +rotenone, and an electric fish shocker.</p> + +<p>3. Forty-eight species of fish were obtained, and five others have +been recorded in literature or found in museums. One species, +<i>Carpiodes forbesi</i>, is recorded from Kansas for the first time.</p> + +<p>4. <i>Notropis lutrensis</i> was the most abundant fish in the Big Blue +River Basin, followed by <i>Notropis deliciosus</i> and <i>Ictalurus +punctatus</i>. The most abundant sport-fishes were <i>I. punctatus</i>, <i>I. +melas</i>, and <i>Pylodictis olivaris</i>, respectively.</p> + +<p>5. The spawning behavior of <i>Notropis lutrensis</i> is described.</p> + +<p>6. A creel census at major points of access to the Big Blue River, +was taken in 1957 (below Tuttle Creek Dam) and in 1958 (above, +in, and below the dam-site). Fishing pressure averaged one fisherman +per 15.7 miles of shoreline. The average length of the fisherman-day +averaged 2.2 hours, with an average of 0.33 fish per fisherman-day +being caught in 1958. The average number of fish per +man-hour in 1958 was 0.14 and 15.8 per cent of the fishermen were +successful. Distances traveled in order to fish ranged from 0 to +197 miles (airline) and averaged 15.7 miles.</p> + +<p>7. The primary recommendation is that studies be continued, to +document changes that result from impoundment. Because brood-stock +of the major sport-fishes is already present, stocking is unnecessary, +except for walleye and northern pike. Also, I recommend +commercial harvest of non-game food-fishes.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_439" id="Page_439">[439]</a></span></p> + +<a name="LITERATURE_CITED" id="LITERATURE_CITED"></a> +<div class="caption2">LITERATURE CITED</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Bailey, R. M.</div> + +<div class="reference">1956. A revised list of fishes of Iowa, with keys for identification. <i>In</i> +Iowa Fish and Fishing, by J. R. Harlan and E. B. Speaker. Iowa +State Cons. Comm., Des Moines, pp. 325-377.</div> + +<div class="refauthor">——, and <span class="smcap">Cross, F. B.</span></div> + +<div class="reference">1954. River sturgeons of the American genus <i>Scaphirhynchus</i>: characters, +distribution, and synonymy. Pap. Michigan Acad. Sci., Arts, +and Letters, 39 (1953): 169-208.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Breukelman, J.</div> + +<div class="reference">1940. A collection of Kansas fish in the State University Museum. Trans. +Kansas Acad. Sci., 43: 377-384.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Buchholz, M.</div> + +<div class="reference">1957. Age and growth of river carpsucker in Des Moines River, Iowa. +Proc. Iowa Acad. Sci., 64: 589-600.</div> + +<div class="refauthor"><span class="smcap">Canfield, H. L.</span>, and <span class="smcap">Wiebe, A. H.</span></div> + +<div class="reference">1931. A cursory survey of the Blue River System of Nebraska. U. S. +Dept. Comm., Bur. of Fisheries, Econ. Circ. 73: 1-10.</div> + +<div class="refauthor"> +<span class="smcap">Colby, C.</span>, <span class="smcap">Dillingham, H.</span>, +<span class="smcap">Erickson, E.</span>, <span class="smcap">Jenks, G.</span>, +<span class="smcap">Jones, J</span>., and <span class="smcap">Sinclair, R.</span> +</div> + +<div class="reference">1956. The Kansas Basin, Pilot Study of a Watershed. Univ. of Kansas +Press, Lawrence, ix + 103 pp.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Cragin, F. W.</div> + +<div class="reference">1885. Preliminary list of Kansas fishes. Bull. Washburn Lab. of Nat. +Hist., 1 (3):105-111.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Cross, F. B.</div> + +<div class="reference">1950. Effects of sewage and of a headwaters impoundment on the +fishes of Stillwater Creek in Payne County, Oklahoma. Amer. +Midl. Nat., 43 (1):128-145.</div> + +<div class="reference">1954. Fishes of Cedar Creek and the South Fork of the Cottonwood +River, Chase County, Kansas. Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 57 (3): 303-314.</div> + +<div class="refauthor"><span class="smcap">Eddy, S.</span>, and <span class="smcap">Surber, T.</span></div> + +<div class="reference">1947. Northern Fishes, with Special Reference to the Upper Mississippi +Valley. Univ. of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, xii + 276 pp.</div> + +<div class="refauthor"><span class="smcap">Evermann, B. W.</span>, and <span class="smcap">Cox, U. O.</span></div> + +<div class="reference">1896. Report upon the fishes of the Missouri River Basin. Appendix 5. +Rept. U. S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries for 1894. pp. 325-429.</div> + +<div class="refauthor"><span class="smcap">Finnell, J. C.</span>, and <span class="smcap">Jenkins, R. M.</span></div> + +<div class="reference">1954. Growth of channel catfish in Oklahoma waters: 1954 revision. +Oklahoma Fish Res. Lab. Rept. 41: ii + 1-37.</div> + +<div class="refauthor">——, <span class="smcap">Jenkins, R. M.</span> and <span class="smcap">Hall, G. E.</span></div> + +<div class="reference">1956. The fishery resources of the Little River System, McCurtain County, +Oklahoma. Oklahoma Fish. Res. Lab. Rept. 55: ii + 1-82.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Flora, S. D.</div> + +<div class="reference">1948. Climate of Kansas. Rept. Kansas State Board of Agri., 67 (285): +xii + 1-320.</div> + +<div class="refauthor"><span class="smcap">Forbes, S. A.</span>, and <span class="smcap">Richardson, R. E.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_440" id="Page_440">[440]</a></span></div> + +<div class="reference">1920. The Fishes of Illinois. Nat. Hist. Survey of Illinois. Illinois Printing +Co., Danville, cxxxi + 357 pp.</div> + +<div class="refauthor"><span class="smcap">Frye, J. C.</span>, and <span class="smcap">Leonard, A. B.</span></div> + +<div class="reference">1952. Pleistocene geology of Kansas. Kansas Geol. Survey, Bull. 99: 1-230.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Gilbert, C. H.</div> + +<div class="reference">1886. Third series of notes on the fishes of Kansas. Bull. Washburn Lab. +of Nat. Hist., 1 (6): 207-211.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Graham, I. D.</div> + +<div class="reference">1885. Preliminary list of Kansas fishes. Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 9: 69-78.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Harrison, H. M.</div> + +<div class="reference">1956. Angling for channel catfish. <i>In</i> Iowa Fish and Fishing, by J. R. +Harlan and E. B. Speaker. Iowa State Cons. Comm., Des Moines. +Pp. 202-212.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Hubbs, C. L.</div> + +<div class="reference">1945. Corrected distributional records for Minnesota fishes. Copeia, 1945 +(1):13-22.</div> + +<div class="refauthor">——, and <span class="smcap">Ortenburger, A. I.</span></div> + +<div class="reference">1929. Further notes on the fishes of Oklahoma with descriptions of new +species of Cyprinidae. Pub. Univ. Oklahoma Biol. Survey, 1 (2): +17-43.</div> + +<div class="refauthor">——, and <span class="smcap">Lagler, K. F.</span></div> + +<div class="reference">1947. Fishes of the Great Lakes Region. Cranbrook Inst. of Sci., Bull. +26: xi + 1-186.</div> + +<div class="refauthor">——, and <span class="smcap">Bailey, R. M.</span></div> + +<div class="reference">1952. Identification of <i>Oxygeneum pulverulentum</i> Forbes, from Illinois, +as a hybrid cyprinid fish. Pap. Michigan Acad. Sci., Arts, and +Letters, 37 (1951): 143-152.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Jennings, D.</div> + +<div class="reference">1942. Kansas fish in the Kansas State College Museum at Manhattan. +Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 45: 363-366.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Kansas Water Resources Fact-finding and Research Committee</div> + +<div class="reference">1955. Water in Kansas. A Report to the Kansas State Legislature ... +Univ. of Kansas. 1-216 pp.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Kincer, J. B.</div> + +<div class="reference">1941. Climate and weather data for the United States. <i>In</i> Climate and +Man, Yearbook of Agri. for 1941. House Doc. 27. pp. 685-699.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Lagler, K. F.</div> + +<div class="reference">1952. Freshwater Fishery Biology. Wm. C. Brown Co., Dubuque, Iowa. +x + 360 pp.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Lugn, A. L.</div> + +<div class="reference">1935. The Pleistocene geology of Nebraska. Nebraska Geol. Survey, +Bull. 10, 2nd series: 1-223.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Marzolf, R. C.</div> + +<div class="reference">1955. Use of pectoral spines and vertebrae for determining age and rate +of growth of the channel catfish. Jour. Wildl. Mgmt., 19 (2): 243-249.</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_441" id="Page_441">[441]</a></span></p> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Meek, S. E.</div> + +<div class="reference">1895. Notes on the fishes of western Iowa and eastern Nebraska. Bull. +U. S. Fish Comm., 14 (1894): 133-138.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Metcalf, A. L.</div> + +<div class="reference">1957. Fishes of Chautauqua, Cowley and Elk counties, Kansas. Univ. +Kansas Publ., Mus. Nat. Hist., 11:345-400.</div> + +<div class="refauthor"><span class="smcap">Minckley, W. L.</span>, and <span class="smcap">Cross, F. B.</span></div> + +<div class="reference">In press. Habitat, distribution, and abundance of <i>Notropis topeka</i> (Gilbert) +in Kansas. Amer. Midl. Nat.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Monfort, E.</div> + +<div class="reference">1956. A layman looks at water. Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 59 (1):118-123.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Moore, G. A.</div> + +<div class="reference">1957. Fishes. <i>In</i> Vertebrates of the United States, by W. Blair, A. Blair, +P. Brodkorb, F. Cagle, and G. Moore. McGraw-Hill Book Co., +New York, N. Y. pp. 31-210.</div> + +<div class="refauthor"><span class="smcap">Moore, R. C.</span>, and <span class="smcap">Landes, K. K.</span></div> + +<div class="reference">1937. Geologic map of Kansas. Scale 1:500,000. Kansas Geol. Survey.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Nebraska State Planning Board.</div> + +<div class="reference">1936. Water resources of Nebraska. Mimeo. by Nebraska State Planning +Board. Lincoln, xxviii + 695 pp.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Pfeiffer, R. A.</div> + +<div class="reference">1955. Studies on the life history of the rosyface shiner, <i>Notropis rubellus</i>. +Copeia, 1955 (2):95-104.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Raney, E. C.</div> + +<div class="reference">1947. Subspecies and breeding behavior of the cyprinid fish <i>Notropis +procne</i> (Cope). Copeia, 1947 (2):103-109.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Schoewe, W. H.</div> + +<div class="reference">1953. The geography of Kansas, Part III—concluded, hydrogeography. +Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 56 (2):131-190.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Snedecor, G. W.</div> + +<div class="reference">1956. Statistical Methods. Iowa State College Press, Ames. xiii + 534 pp.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Starrett, W. C.</div> + +<div class="reference">1950. Distribution of the fishes of Boone County, Iowa, with special reference +to the minnows and darters. Amer. Midl. Nat., 43 (1): +112-127.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Trautman, M. B.</div> + +<div class="reference">1957. The Fishes of Ohio. Waverly Press, Inc., Baltimore, Md. xvii + +683 pp.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.</div> + +<div class="reference">1952. A one-year creel census and evaluation of the Republican River, +Nebraska and Kansas, 1951. Mimeo. by the Staff, Missouri River +Basin Studies, Billings, Mont. 29 pp., Appendix.</div> + +<div class="reference">1953. A preliminary report on fish and wildlife resources in relation to +the water development plan for the Tuttle Creek Dam and Reservoir, +Big Blue River, Missouri River Basin, Kansas. Mimeo. by the +Staff, Missouri River Basin Studies, Billings, Mont. 25 pp.</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_442" id="Page_442">[442]</a></span></p> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Van Orman, C. R.</div> + +<div class="reference">1956. Surface water—its control and retention for use. Trans. Kansas +Acad. Sci., 59 (1):105-110.</div> + +<div class="refauthor smcap">Walters, K. L.</div> + +<div class="reference">1954. Geology and ground-water resources of Marshall County, Kansas. +Kansas Geol. Survey, Bull. 106:1-116.</div> +<br /> +<br /> +<p><i>Transmitted December 19, 1958.</i></p> +<br /> +<br /> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/square.png" width="16" height="17" alt="" title="" /><br /> +27-7080 +</div> +<br /> +<br /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[i]</a></span></p> + +<div class="caption2">UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS<br /> +MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY</div> + +<p>Institutional libraries interested in publications exchange may obtain this +series by addressing the Exchange Librarian, University of Kansas Library, +Lawrence, Kansas. Copies for individuals, persons working in a particular +field of study, may be obtained by addressing instead the Museum of Natural +History, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. There is no provision for +sale of this series by the University Library, which meets institutional requests, +or by the Museum of Natural History, which meets the requests of individuals. +Nevertheless, when individuals request copies from the Museum, 25 cents should +be included, for each separate number that is 100 pages or more in length, for +the purpose of defraying the costs of wrapping and mailing.</p> + +<p>* An asterisk designates those numbers of which the Museum's supply (not the Library's +supply) is exhausted. Numbers published to date, in this series, are as follows:</p> + +<table class="pub_list" summary="pub_list"> +<tr><td class="text_rt"> Vol. 1.</td><td colspan="2" class="justify">Nos. 1-26 and index. Pp. 1-638, 1946-1950.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="text_rt">*Vol. 2.</td><td colspan="2" class="justify">(Complete) Mammals of Washington. By Walter W. Dalquest. Pp. 1-444, 140 +figures in text. April 9, 1948.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="text_rt">Vol. 3.</td><td class="text_rt">*1.</td><td class="justify">The avifauna of Micronesia, its origin, evolution, and distribution. By Rollin +H. Baker. Pp. 1-359, 16 figures in text. June 12, 1951.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">*2.</td><td class="justify">A quantitative study of the nocturnal migration of birds. By George H. +Lowery, Jr. Pp. 361-472, 47 figures in text. June 29, 1951.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">3.</td><td class="justify">Phylogeny of the waxwings and allied birds. By M. Dale Arvey. Pp. 473-530, +49 figures in text, 13 tables. October 10, 1951.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">4.</td><td class="justify">Birds from the state of Veracruz, Mexico. By George H. Lowery, Jr., and +Walter W. Dalquest. Pp. 531-649, 7 figures in text, 2 tables. October 10, 1951.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td colspan="2" class="justify">Index. Pp. 651-681.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="text_rt">*Vol. 4.</td><td colspan="2" class="justify">(Complete) American weasels. By E. Raymond Hall. Pp. 1-466, 41 plates, 31 +figures in text. December 27, 1951.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="text_rt">Vol. 5.</td><td colspan="2" class="justify">Nos. 1-37 and index. Pp. 1-676, 1951-1953.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="text_rt">*Vol. 6.</td><td colspan="2" class="justify">(Complete) Mammals of Utah, <i>taxonomy and distribution</i>. By Stephen D. +Durrant. Pp. 1-549, 91 figures in text, 30 tables. August 10, 1952.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="text_rt vtop">Vol. 7.</td><td class="text_rt vtop">*1.</td><td class="justify">Mammals of Kansas. By E. Lendell Cockrum. Pp. 1-303, 73 figures in +text, 37 tables. August 25, 1952.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">2.</td><td class="justify">Ecology of the opossum on a natural area in northeastern Kansas. By Henry +S. Fitch and Lewis L. Sandidge. Pp. 305-338, 5 figures in text. August 24, 1953.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">3.</td><td class="justify">The silky pocket mice (Perognathus flavus) of Mexico. By Rollin H. Baker. +Pp. 339-347, 1 figure in text. February 15, 1954.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">4.</td><td class="justify">North American jumping mice (Genus Zapus). By Philip H. Krutzsch. Pp. +349-472, 47 figures in text, 4 tables. April 21, 1954.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">5.</td><td class="justify">Mammals from Southeastern Alaska. By Rollin H. Baker and James S. +Findley. Pp. 473-477. April 21, 1954.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">6.</td><td class="justify">Distribution of Some Nebraskan Mammals. By J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 479-487. +April 21, 1954.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">7.</td><td class="justify">Subspeciation in the montane meadow mouse, Microtus montanus, in Wyoming +and Colorado. By Sydney Anderson. Pp. 489-506, 2 figures in text. July 23, 1954.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">8.</td><td class="justify">A new subspecies of bat (Myotis velifer) from southeastern California and +Arizona. By Terry A. Vaughn. Pp. 507-512. July 23, 1954.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">9.</td><td class="justify">Mammals of the San Gabriel mountains of California. By Terry A. Vaughn. +Pp. 513-582, 1 figure in text, 12 tables. November 15, 1954.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">10.</td><td class="justify">A new bat (Genus Pipistrellus) from northeastern Mexico. By Rollin H. +Baker. Pp. 583-586. November 15, 1954.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">11.</td><td class="justify">A new subspecies of pocket mouse from Kansas. By E. Raymond Hall. Pp. +587-590. November 15, 1954.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">12.</td><td class="justify">Geographic variation in the pocket gopher, Cratogeomys castanops, in Coahuila, +Mexico. By Robert J. Russell and Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 591-608. March +15, 1955.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">13.</td><td class="justify">A new cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) from northeastern Mexico. By Rollin +H. Baker. Pp. 609-612. April 8, 1955.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">14.</td><td class="justify">Taxonomy and distribution of some American shrews. By James S. Findley. +Pp. 613-618. June 10, 1955.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">15.</td><td class="justify">The pigmy woodrat, Neotoma goldmani, its distribution and systematic position. +By Dennis G. Rainey and Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 619-624, 2 figs. in +text. June 10, 1955.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td colspan="2" class="justify">Index. Pp. 625-651.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="text_rt vtop">Vol. 8.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[ii]</a></span></td> +<td class="text_rt vtop">1.</td><td class="justify">Life history and ecology of the five-lined skink, Eumeces fasciatus. By Henry +S. Fitch. Pp. 1-156, 26 figs. in text. September 1, 1954.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">2.</td><td class="justify">Myology and serology of the Avian Family Fringillidae, a taxonomic study. +By William B. Stallcup. Pp. 157-211, 23 figures in text, 4 tables. November 15, 1954.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">3.</td><td class="justify">An ecological study of the collared lizard (Crotaphytus collaris). By Henry +S. Fitch. Pp. 213-274, 10 figures in text. February 10, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">4.</td><td class="justify">A field study of the Kansas ant-eating frog, Gastrophryne olivacea. By Henry +S. Fitch. Pp. 275-306, 9 figures in text. February 10, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">5.</td><td class="justify">Check-list of the birds of Kansas. By Harrison B. Tordoff. Pp. 307-359, 1 +figure in text. March 10, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">6.</td><td class="justify">A population study of the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) in northeastern +Kansas. By Edwin P. Martin. Pp. 361-416, 19 figures in text. April 2, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">7.</td><td class="justify">Temperature responses in free-living amphibians and reptiles of northeastern +Kansas. By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 417-476, 10 figures in text, 6 tables. June 1, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">8.</td><td class="justify">Food of the crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos Brehm, in south-central Kansas. By +Dwight Platt. Pp. 477-498, 4 tables. June 8, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">9.</td><td class="justify">Ecological observations on the woodrat, Neotoma floridana. By Henry S. +Fitch and Dennis G. Rainey. Pp. 499-533, 3 figures in text. June 12, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt vtop">10.</td><td class="justify">Eastern woodrat, Neotoma floridana: Life history and ecology. By Dennis G. +Rainey. Pp. 535-646, 12 plates, 13 figures in text August 15, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td colspan="2" class="justify">Index. Pp. 647-675.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="text_rt">Vol. 9.</td><td class="text_rt">1.</td><td class="justify">Speciation of the wandering shrew. By James S. Findley. Pp. 1-68, 18 +figures in text. December 10, 1955.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">2.</td><td class="justify">Additional records and extension of ranges of mammals from Utah. By +Stephen D. Durrant, M. Raymond Lee, and Richard M. Hansen. Pp. 69-80. +December 10, 1955.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">3.</td><td class="justify">A new long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis) from northeastern Mexico. By Rollin +H. Baker and Howard J. Stains. Pp. 81-84. December 10, 1955.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">4.</td><td class="justify">Subspeciation in the meadow mouse, Microtus pennsylvanicus, in Wyoming. +By Sydney Anderson. Pp. 85-104, 2 figures in text. May 10, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">5.</td><td class="justify">The condylarth genus Ellipsodon. By Robert W. Wilson. Pp. 105-116, 6 +figures in text. May 19, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">6.</td><td class="justify">Additional remains of the multituberculate genus Eucosmodon. By Robert +W. Wilson. Pp. 117-123, 10 figures in text. May 19, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">7.</td><td class="justify">Mammals of Coahulia, Mexico. By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 125-335, 75 figures +in text. June 15, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">8.</td><td class="justify">Comments on the taxonomic status of Apodemus peninsulae, with description +of a new subspecies from North China. By J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 337-346, +1 figure in text, 1 table. August 15, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">9.</td><td class="justify">Extensions of known ranges of Mexican bats. By Sydney Anderson. Pp. +347-351. August 15, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">10.</td><td class="justify">A new bat (Genus Leptonycteris) from Coahulia. By Howard J. Stains. +Pp. 353-356. January 21, 1957.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">11.</td><td class="justify">A new species of pocket gopher (Genus Pappogeomys) from Jalisco, Mexico. +By Robert J. Russell. Pp. 357-361. January 21, 1957.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">12.</td><td class="justify">Geographic variation in the pocket gopher, Thomomys bottae, in Colorado. +By Phillip M. Youngman. Pp. 363-387, 7 figures in text. February 21, 1958.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">13.</td><td class="justify">New bog lemming (genus Synaptomys) from Nebraska. By J. Knox Jones, +Jr. Pp. 385-388. May 12, 1958.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">14.</td><td class="justify">Pleistocene bats from San Josecito Cave, Nuevo León, México. By J. Knox +Jones, Jr. Pp. 389-396. December 19, 1958.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">15.</td><td class="justify">New subspecies of the rodent Baiomys from Central America. By Robert +L. Packard. Pp. 397-404. December 19, 1958.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td colspan="2" class="justify">More numbers will appear in volume 9.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="text_rt">Vol. 10.</td><td class="text_rt">1.</td><td class="justify">Studies of birds killed in nocturnal migration. By Harrison B. Tordoff and +Robert M. Mengel. Pp. 1-44, 6 figures in text, 2 tables. September 12, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">2.</td><td class="justify">Comparative breeding behavior of Ammospiza caudacuta and A. maritima. +By Glen E. Woolfenden. Pp. 45-75, 6 plates, 1 figure. December 20, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">3.</td><td class="justify">The forest habitat of the University of Kansas Natural History Reservation. +By Henry S. Fitch and Ronald R. McGregor. Pp. 77-127, 2 plates, 7 figures +in text, 4 tables. December 31, 1956.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">4.</td><td class="justify">Aspects of reproduction and development in the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster). +By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 129-161, 8 figures in text, 4 tables. December +19, 1957.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">5.</td><td class="justify">Birds found on the Arctic slope of northern Alaska. By James W. Bee. +Pp. 163-211, plates 9-10, 1 figure in text. March 12, 1958.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">6.</td><td class="justify">The wood rats of Colorado: distribution and ecology. By Robert B. Finley, +Jr. Pp. 213-552, 34 plates, 8 figures in text, 35 tables. November 7, 1958.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td colspan="2" class="justify">More numbers will appear in volume 10.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="text_rt">Vol. 11.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[iii]</a></span></td> +<td class="text_rt">1.</td><td class="justify">The systematic status of the colubrid snake, Leptodeira discolor Günther. +By William E. Duellman. Pp. 1-9, 4 figs. July 14, 1958.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">2.</td><td class="justify">Natural history of the six-lined racerunner, Cnemidophorus sexlineatus. By +Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 11-62, 9 figs., 9 tables. September 19, 1958.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">3.</td><td class="justify">Home ranges, territories, and seasonal movements of vertebrates of the +Natural History Reservation. By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 63-326, 6 plates, 24 +figures in text, 3 tables. December 12, 1958.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">4.</td><td class="justify">A new snake of the genus Geophis from Chihuahua, Mexico. By John M. +Legler. Pp. 327-334, January 28, 1959.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">5.</td><td class="justify">A new tortoise, genus Gopherus, from north-central Mexico. By John M. +Legler. Pp. 335-343, April 24, 1959.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">6.</td><td class="justify">Fishes of Chautauqua, Cowley and Elk counties, Kansas. By Artie L. +Metcalf. Pp. 345-400, 2 plates, 2 figures in text, 10 tables. May 6, 1959.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">7.</td><td class="justify">Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin, Kansas. By W. L. Minckley. Pp. 401-442, +2 plates, 4 figures in text, 5 tables. May 8, 1959.</td></tr> + +<tr><td> </td><td colspan="2" class="justify">More numbers will appear in volume 11.</td></tr> +</table> +<br /> +<br /> + +<div class="trans_notes"> +<div class="caption2">Transcriber's Notes</div> + +<p>Except as noted below, the text presented herein is that contained in +the original printed version. Minor corrections (such as missing +punctuation) may have been corrected. The original version had a +list of publications printed inside the cover and inside and on the +back cover. The cover page was not retained as it is a copy of the +first page and the list inside the cover was moved past the end of the +article.</p> + +<div class="caption3">Typographical Corrections</div> +<br /> +<table summary="Correction List"> +<tr><td>Page</td><td> </td><td>Correction</td></tr> +<tr><td class="bt2"> 408</td><td> </td><td class="bt2">Phenophthalein → Phenolphthalein</td></tr> +</table> +<br /> +</div> +</div> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin, +Kansas, by W. L. 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L. Minckley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin, Kansas + +Author: W. L. Minckley + +Release Date: October 13, 2011 [EBook #37742] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FISHES OF THE BIG BLUE RIVER *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Tom Cosmas, Joseph Cooper and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS + MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY + + Volume 11, No. 7, pp. 401-442, 2 plates, 4 figs. in text, 5 tabl. + + May 8, 1959 + + + + Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin, + Kansas + + BY + + W. L. MINCKLEY + + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS + LAWRENCE + 1959 + + + + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS, MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY + + Editors: E. Raymond Hall, Chairman, Henry S. Fitch, Robert W. Wilson + + + Volume 11, No. 7, pp. 401-442, 2 plates, 4 figs. in text, 5 tables + Published May 8, 1959 + + + UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS + Lawrence, Kansas + + A CONTRIBUTION FROM + THE STATE BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF KANSAS + + + PRINTED IN + THE STATE PRINTING PLANT + TOPEKA, KANSAS + 1959 + + [Union Label] + + 27-7080 + + + + +Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin, Kansas + +BY + +W. L. MINCKLEY + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE + Introduction 403 + Acknowledgments 404 + Tuttle Creek Dam and Reservoir 404 + Big Blue River Basin 404 + Geology of the basin 405 + Climate, population, and land-use 406 + Physical features of streams 407 + Previous records of fishes 410 + Methods and materials 410 + Collecting stations 412 + Annotated list of species 414 + Hybrid combinations 431 + Relative abundance and discussion of species 431 + Creel census 435 + Recommendations 437 + Summary 438 + Literature cited 438 + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +The Big Blue River in northeastern Kansas will soon be impounded by +the Tuttle Creek Dam, located about five miles north of Manhattan, +Kansas. Since the inception of this project by the U. S. Army Corps of +Engineers much argument has arisen as to the values of the dam and +reservoir as opposed to the values of farmland and cultural +establishments to be inundated (Schoewe, 1953; Monfort, 1956; and Van +Orman, 1956). Also, there has been some concern about the possible +effects of impoundment on the fish-resources of the area, which +supports "a catfish fishery that is notable throughout most of the +State of Kansas and in some neighboring states (U. S. Fish and +Wildlife Service, 1953:9)." The objectives of my study, conducted from +March 30, 1957, to August 9, 1958, were to record the species of fish +present and their relative abundance in the stream system, and to +obtain a measure of angler success prior to closure of the dam. These +data may be used as a basis for future studies on the fish and fishing +in the Big Blue River Basin, Kansas. + + + + +ACKNOWLEDGMENTS + + +I thank Messrs. J. E. Deacon, D. A. Distler, Wallace Ferrel, D. L. +Hoyt, F. E. Maendele, C. O. Minckley, B. C. Nelson, and J. C. Tash for +assistance in the field and for valuable suggestions. Dr. J. B. Elder, +Kansas State College, arranged for loan of specimens, and Mr. B. C. +Nelson supplied data on _Notropis deliciosus_ (Girard) in Kansas, and +on specimens in the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. + +I thank the many landowners who allowed me access to streams in the +Big Blue River Basin. The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City +District, also allowed access in the reservoir area, and furnished +information and some photographs. Mr. J. C. Tash did chemical +determinations on my water samples. + +Dr. Frank B. Cross guided me in this study and in preparation of this +report. Drs. E. Raymond Hall and K. B. Armitage offered valuable +suggestions on the manuscript. Equipment and funds for my study were +furnished by the State Biological Survey of Kansas, and the Kansas +Forestry, Fish and Game Commission granted necessary permits. + + + + +TUTTLE CREEK DAM AND RESERVOIR + + +The data on Tuttle Creek Dam and Reservoir that follow were furnished +by Mr. Donald D. Poole, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City +District. The dam, an earth-fill structure, will be 7,500 feet in +length, with a maximum height of 157 feet above the valley floor. +Release of water will be from beneath the west end of the dam, through +two tunnels 20 feet in diameter that have a capacity of 45,000 cubic +feet per second; however, releases exceeding 25,000 c. f. s. are not +planned. The gated spillway is located at the east end of the dam. +Freeboard will be 23 feet at the top of flood-control pool. + +The reservoir will have a maximum pool of 2,280,000 acre-feet +capacity, a 53,500-acre surface area, and 368 miles of shoreline. The +present operational plan provides for a conservation pool having a +surface area of 15,700 acres, a shoreline of 112 miles, and a length +of 20 miles. + + + + +BIG BLUE RIVER BASIN + + +Big Blue River and its tributaries, a sub-basin of the Kansas River +System, drain approximately 9,600 square miles, of which 2,484 miles +are in Kansas (Colby, _et al._, 1956:44). The headwaters of the Big +Blue River are in central Hamilton County, Nebraska, near the Platte +River (Fig. 1). The stream flows generally south and east for 283 +miles to its confluence with the Kansas River near Manhattan, Kansas. +Little Blue River, the largest tributary to the Big Blue, rises in +eastern Kearney and western Adams counties, Nebraska, and flows +southeast for 208 miles to join the Big Blue near Blue Rapids, Kansas +(Nebraska State Planning Board, 1936:628). The Big Blue River Basin +varies in width from 129 miles in the northwest, to approximately ten +miles near the mouth (Colby, _et al._, 1956:44). + + + + +GEOLOGY OF THE BASIN + + +In Kansas, outcrops of Pennsylvanian and Cretaceous age occur along +the extreme eastern and western sides of the Big Blue River Basin, +respectively, whereas Permian beds (overlain by Pleistocene deposits) +occur throughout most of the remainder of the watershed (see Moore and +Landes, 1937). The Big Blue and Little Blue rivers and their +tributaries have deeply incised the Permian beds of the Flint Hills in +Kansas, exposing limestones and shales of the Admire, Council Grove, +Chase, and Sumner groups (Wolfcampian and Leonardian series) (Walters, +1954:41-44). Pleistocene deposits in the Big Blue Basin in Kansas +consist of alluvium, glacial till, and glacial outwash from the Kansan +glacial stage, overlain by loess deposits of Wisconsin and Recent +stages (Frye and Leonard, 1952: pl. 1). + + [Illustration: FIG. 1. Big Blue River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska.] + +The Big Blue River was formed "in part on the till plain surface and +in part by integration of spillway channels," in the latter portion of +the Kansan glaciation (Frye and Leonard, 1952:192). This stream, and +the Republican River to the west, carried waters from the areas that +are now the Platte, Niobrara, and upper Missouri River basins (Lugn, +1935:153). Drainage was southward, through Oklahoma, until +establishment of the east-flowing Kansas River (Frye and Leonard, +1952:189-190). As Kansan ice receded the Blue and Republican rivers +retained what is now the Platte River Basin. The lower Platte River +developed and the surface drainage became distinct in the Iowan +(Tazwellian) portion of the Wisconsin glacial stage (Lugn, +1935:152-153). However, according to Lugn (1935:203) the Platte River +Basin contributes about 300,000 acre-feet of water per year to the Big +Blue and Republican rivers by percolation through sands and gravels +underlying the uplands that now separate the basins. + + + + +CLIMATE, POPULATION, AND LAND-USE + + +Climate of the Big Blue River Basin is of the subhumid continental +type, with an average annual precipitation of 22 inches in the +northwest and 30 inches in the southeast. The mean annual evaporation +from water surfaces exceeds annual precipitation by approximately 30 +inches (Colby, _et al._, 1956:32-33). + +The average annual temperature for the basin is 53 deg. F. (Flora, +1948:148). According to Kincer (1941:704-705) the average temperature +in July, the warmest month, is 78 deg. F., and the coolest month, January, +averages 28 deg. F. Periods of extreme cold and heat are sometimes of long +duration. Length of the growing season varies from less than 160 days +in the northwest to 180 days in the southeast (Kincer, _loc. cit._). + +The human population of the Big Blue Basin varies from about 90 +persons per square mile in one Nebraska county in the northwest and +one Kansas county in the southeast, to as few as six persons per +square mile in some northeastern counties. The population is most +dense along the eastern border of the basin, decreasing toward the +west. This decrease in population is correlated with the decrease in +average annual precipitation from east to west (Colby, _et al._, +1956:80). + +The principal land-use in the Big Blue Watershed is tilled crops, with +wheat, sorghums, and corn being most important. Beef cattle are +important in some portions of the basin. Colby, _et al._ (1956:24) +reported that in 1954 as much as 55 per cent of the land in some +counties near the mouth of the Big Blue River was in pasture. Only one +Nebraska county had less than 15 per cent in pastureland. + + + + +PHYSICAL FEATURES OF STREAMS + + +Streams of the Big Blue River Basin are of three kinds: turbid, +sandy-bottomed streams, usually 150 to 300 feet in width; relatively +clear, mud-bottomed streams, ten to 60 feet in width; and clear, +deeply incised, gravel-bottomed streams, usually five to 30 feet in +width. + +SAND-BOTTOMED STREAMS.--The Big Blue and Little Blue rivers represent +this kind of stream. The bottoms of these rivers consist almost +entirely of fine sand; nevertheless, their channels are primarily deep +and fairly uniform in width, rather than broad, shallow, and braided +as in the larger Kansas and Arkansas rivers in Kansas (Plate 11, Fig. +1). In the Big Blue River, gravel occurs rarely on riffles, and +gravel-rubble bottoms are found below dams (Plate 11, Fig. 2). The Big +Blue flows over a larger proportion of gravelly bottom than does the +Little Blue. + +Big Blue River rises at about 1,800 feet above mean sea level and +joins the Kansas River at an elevation of 1,000 feet above m. s. l. +The average gradient is 2.8 feet per mile. Little Blue River, +originating at 2,200 feet, has an average gradient of 5.3 feet per +mile, entering the Big Blue at 1,100 feet above mean sea level +(Nebraska State Planning Board, 1936:628, 637). The Little Blue is the +shallower stream, possibly because of the greater amount of sandy +glacial deposits in its watershed and the swift flow that may cause +lateral cutting, increased movement, and "drifting" of the sandy +bottom. + +For approximately a 50-year period, stream-flow in the Big Blue River +at its point of entry into Kansas (Barnston, Nebraska) averaged 603 +cubic feet per second, with maximum and minimum instantaneous flows of +57,700 c. f. s. and one c. f. s. The Little Blue River at Waterville, +Kansas, averaged a daily discharge of 601 c. f. s. (maximum 50,400, +minimum 28). Below the confluence of the Big Blue and Little Blue +rivers, at Randolph, Kansas, the average daily discharge was 1,690 +c.f.s. (maximum 98,000, minimum 31) (Kansas Water Resources +Fact-finding and Research Committee, 1955:27). + +The turbidity of the Big Blue River, as determined by use of a Jackson +turbidimeter, varied from 27 parts per million in winter (January 10, +1958) to as high as 14,000 p.p.m. (July 12, 1958). The Little Blue +River has similar turbidities, with high readings being frequent. In +the summer of 1957, pH ranged from 7.2 to 8.4 in the Big Blue River +Basin--values that correspond closely with those of Canfield and Wiebe +(1931:3) who made 25 determinations ranging from 7.3 to 8.3 in the +streams of the Nebraskan portion of this basin in July, 1930. Surface +temperatures at various stations varied from 38 deg. F. on January 10, +1958, to 90 deg. F. in backwater-areas on July 19, 1957. The average +surface temperature at mid-day in July and August, 1957, was +approximately 86.5 deg. F. + +Chemical determinations were made on water-samples from my Station 4-S +on the Big Blue River, and Station 50-S on the Little Blue (Table 1). +These samples were taken from the surface in strong current. +Determinations were made by methods described in _Standard Methods for +the Examination of Water and Sewage_, 10th edition, 1955. + + + TABLE 1.--CHEMICAL DETERMINATIONS IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER AT FIVE + STATIONS IN THE BIG BLUE RIVER BASIN, KANSAS, 1958. + + TABLE LEGEND: + Column A: Phenolphthalein alkalinity + Column B: Methyl-orange alkalinity + Column C: Chlorides + Column D: Sulphates + Column E: Nitrates + Column F: Nitrites + Column G: Ammonia + Column H: Phosphate + + ==========+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+===== + STATION | | | | | | | | + AND | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H + DATE | | | | | | | | + ----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----- + 4-S | | | | | | | | + August 9 | 0.0 | 154 | 16 | 28 | 3.5 |.083 |.250 |.225 + | | | | | | | | + 50-S | | | | | | | | + August 9 | 0.0 | 125 | 24 | 20 | 2.5 |.669 |.427 |.240 + | | | | | | | | + 35-M | | | | | | | | + August 9 | 0.0 | 366 | 15 | 108 | 9.4 |.220 |.750 |.080 + | | | | | | | | + 11-G | | | | | | | | + July 8 | 0.0 | 272 | 15 | 60 | 4.5 |.060 |.625 |.140 + | | | | | | | | + 18-G | | | | | | | | + July 22 | 0.0 | 183 | 10 | 60 | 1.6 |.938 |.293 |.240 + ----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----- + + +The banks of both the Big Blue and Little Blue rivers support narrow +riparian forests comprised primarily of elm, _Ulmus americanus_, +cottonwood, _Populus deltoides_, sycamore, _Platanus occidentalis_, +and willow, _Salix_ spp. Maple, _Acer_ sp., oak, _Quercus_ spp., and +ash, _Fraxinus_ sp. occur where the rivers flow near steep, rocky +hillsides. Many of the hills are virgin bluestem prairies +(_Andropogon_ spp.), but the floodplains are heavily cultivated. + +MUD-BOTTOMED STREAMS.--Streams of this kind are present in the +watershed of the Black Vermillion River that enters Big Blue River +from the east. The area east of the Big Blue River and north of the +Black Vermillion River is till plains, where relief seldom exceeds 100 +feet (Walters, 1954:12). Streams in this portion of the basin, and +streams entering the Little Blue River from the west (Mill Creek and +Horseshoe Creek systems), tend to have V-shaped channels, fewer +riffles than the Little Blue and Big Blue rivers and in the gravelly +streams (to be described later), and have bottoms of mud or clay, with +few rocks (Plate 12, Fig. 1). However, in the extreme headwaters of +most western tributaries of the Little Blue River (in Washington and +Republic counties) sandy bottoms predominate. The Black Vermillion +River flows on a broad floodplain and is a mud-bottomed, sluggish +stream, with an average gradient of approximately one foot per mile. +Fringe-forests of elm, cottonwood, sycamore, and willow persist along +most of these stream-courses. + +Notwithstanding the mud bottoms, the water in this kind of stream in +the Big Blue Basin remains clearer than that of the Big Blue and +Little Blue rivers. Heavy algal blooms were noted in the Black +Vermillion River and Mill Creek, Washington County, in 1957 and 1958. +Temperatures at Stations 45-M and 46-M on Mill Creek, Washington +County, averaged 85.5 deg. F. on July 31, 1957. Chemical characteristics +of a water-sample from Station 35-M, Black Vermillion River, are in +Table 1. + +GRAVEL-BOTTOMED STREAMS.--Most streams of this kind are tributary to +the Big Blue River; however, streams entering Black Vermillion River +from the south are also of this type (Plate 12, Fig. 2). The streams +are "characteristically a series of large pools (to 100 feet in length +and more than two feet in depth) connected by short riffles and +smaller pools" (Minckley and Cross, in press). The average gradients +are high: Carnahan Creek, 33 feet per mile; Mill Creek, Riley County, +21 feet; Clear Creek, 16 feet per mile. Stream-flow is usually less +than five cubic feet per second. In summer, these streams may become +intermittent, but springs and subsurface percolation maintain +pool-levels (Minckley and Cross, _loc. cit._). + +The average temperatures of these small streams (79.5 deg. to 81.0 deg. F. in +July and August, 1957) were lower than temperatures in stream-types +previously described. Turbidities were usually less than 25 p.p.m. The +chemical properties of water-samples from two of these streams +(Stations 11-G and 18-G) are listed in Table 1. + + + + +PREVIOUS RECORDS OF FISHES + + +The earliest records of fishes from the Big Blue River Basin are those +of Cragin (1885) and Graham (1885) in independently published lists of +the fishes of Kansas. Meek (1895) recorded fishes collected in 1891 +"from both branches of the Blue River, a few miles west of Crete, +Nebraska." Evermann and Cox (1896) reported five collections from the +Nebraskan part of the basin. Their collections were made in October, +1892, and August, 1893, and the stations were: in 1892, Big Blue River +at Crete; in 1893, Big Blue River at Seward, Lincoln Creek at Seward +and York, and Beaver Creek at York. + +Canfield and Wiebe (1931) obtained fish from 18 localities in Nebraska +in July, 1930; however, their major concern was determination of water +quality. Their stations were: Big Blue River at Stromsburg, Polk Co.; +Surprise and Ulysses, Butler Co.; Staplehurst, Seward, and Milford, +Seward Co.; Crete and Wilber, Saline Co.; Beatrice, Blue Springs, and +Barnston, Gage Co.; Little Blue River at Fairbury, Jefferson Co.; +Hebron, Thayer Co.; Sandy Creek at Alexandria, Thayer Co.; West Fork +of Big Blue River at Stockham, Hamilton Co.; McCool Junction, York +Co.; Beaver Crossing, Seward Co.; and Beaver Creek at York, York Co. + +Breukelman (1940) and Jennings (1942) listed fishes from the +University of Kansas Museum of Natural History and the Kansas State +College Museum, respectively, including some specimens collected from +the Big Blue River System in Kansas. Because records in these two +papers pertain to collections that were widely spaced in the basin and +in time, the specific localities are not given herein. One of +Jennings' (_loc. cit.)_ records, _Scaphirhynchus platorynchus_ +(Rafinesque), was cited by Bailey and Cross (1954:191). More recently, +Minckley and Cross (in press) recorded several localities, and cited +some papers mentioned above, in a publication dealing with _Notropis +topeka_ (Gilbert) in Kansas. + +Information on the fishes of the Nebraskan portion of the Big Blue +River Basin was compiled, and additional localities were reported, in +a doctoral thesis by Dr. Raymond E. Johnson, entitled The Distribution +of Nebraska Fishes, 1942, at the University of Michigan. + + + + +METHODS AND MATERIALS + + +_Collection of Fishes_ + +The gear and techniques used are listed below: + +ENTRAPMENT DEVICES.--Hoop and fyke nets and wire traps were used for +288 trap/net hours in 1957. The nets were not baited, and were set +parallel to the current, with the mouths downstream. Hoop nets were +11/2 to three feet in diameter at the first hoop, with a pot-mesh of +one inch; fyke nets were three feet at the first hoop, pot-mesh of +one inch; wire traps, with an opening at each end, were 21/2 feet in +diameter and covered with one-inch-mesh, galvanized chicken wire. + +GILL NETS.--Experimental gill nets were set on three occasions in +areas with little current. These nets were 125 feet in length, with +3/4 to two inch bar-mesh in 25-foot sections. + +SEINES.--Seining was used more than other methods. An attempt was made +to seine all habitats at each station. In swift water, seine-hauls +were usually made downstream, but in quiet areas seining was done +randomly. Haul-seines six to 60 feet in length, three to eight feet in +depth, and with meshes of 1/8 to 1/2 inch were used. For collection of +riffle-fishes, the seine was planted below a selected area and the +bottom was kicked violently by one member of the party, while one or +two persons held the seine, raising it when the area had been +thoroughly disturbed. Seining on riffles was done with a four-foot by +four-foot bobbinet seine. + +ROTENONE.--Rotenone was used in pools of smaller streams, mouths of +creeks, borrow-pits, and cut-off areas. Both powdered and emulsifiable +rotenone were used. The rotenone was mixed with water and applied by +hand, or into the backwash of an outboard motor. + +ELECTRIC SHOCKER.--The electrical unit used in this study generated +115 volts and 600 to 700 watts, alternating current. The shocking unit +consisted of two booms, each with two electrodes, mounted on and +operated from a slowly moving boat. Fish were recovered in scape nets, +or in many cases were identified as they lay stunned and were not +collected. + + +_Estimation of Relative Abundance_ + +Data on relative abundance of fishes were obtained by counts of seine +hauls at 29 of the 59 stations, counts of rotenoned fish at seven +stations, and results with the electric shocker at nine stations. +Counts were usually made in the field; however, in some collections +all fish were preserved and counted in the laboratory. Some fish (or +"swirls" presumed to be fish) observed while shocking were not +identified and are not included in the calculations. However, all fish +positively identified while shocking are included. + + +_Age and Growth of Fishes_ + +Fish from selected size-groups were aged in this study. Scales for +age-determinations were removed from positions recommended by Lagler +(1952:108). Scales were placed in water between glass slides and were +read on a standard scale-projection device. + +Pectoral spines of catfish were removed from one or both sides, +sectioned, and read by methods described by Marzolf (1955:243-244). + +Calculation of length at the last annulus for both scale-fish and +catfish was made by direct proportion. All measurements are of total +length to the nearest tenth of an inch unless specified otherwise. + + +_Creel Census_ + +From April 6 to May 28, 1957, a creel census was taken below Turtle +Creek Dam. From June 16 to July 24, 1958, I periodically visited the +main points of access to the Big Blue River, beginning approximately +eight miles downstream from Tuttle Creek Dam and ending six miles +upstream from the maximal extension of the reservoir at capacity +level. Access-points consisted of 11 bridges, two power dams, and +three areas where county roads approached the river. Eleven eight-hour +days were spent in the 1957 census and 22 checks in 15 days were made +in 1958. An equal number of morning (6:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon) and +afternoon (12:00 noon to 8:30 p.m.) checks were made. + +Fishermen contacted were asked the following questions: home address +(or residence at the time of the fishing trip); time they started +fishing; kind of fish sought; number and kinds of fish in possession; +and baits used. Also, the number of poles and type of fishing (from +the bank, from boat, _etc._) were recorded. Fishes caught were +examined to confirm identifications. About 80 per cent of all +fishermen seen were contacted. + +Fish per man-hour, as used in this report, refers to the average +number of fish of all species caught by one fisherman in one hour. +Fisherman-day is the average time spent fishing in one day by one +person. Because some fishermen used more than one pole, the data are +also expressed as catch per pole-hour. + + + + +COLLECTING STATIONS + + +In the list that follows, stations are numbered consecutively from the +mouth of the Big Blue River, listing stations on each tributary as it +is ascended. The letters following station-numbers indicate the +general type of stream: S = sandy; M = muddy; and G = gravelly. The +Big Blue River is the boundary between Riley and Pottawatomie +counties, Kansas, along part of its length. Stations in this area have +been designated Riley County. The legal description of each station is +followed by the date(s) of collection, and each station is plotted in +Figure 2. + + [Illustration: FIG. 2. Collection stations in the Big Blue + River Basin, Kansas, 1957 and 1958.] + + [Illustration: PLATE 11 + + FIG. 1. Big Blue River at Station 3-S. U.S. Army Corps of + Engineers photograph No. 563697. + + FIG. 2. Big Blue River at Oketo, Marshall County, Kansas. U.S. + Army Corps of Engineers, photograph No. 67516.] + + [Illustration: PLATE 12 + + FIG. 1. Black Vermillion River, approximately one mile upstream + from its mouth. Photograph by Robert G. Webb. + + FIG. 2. Carnahan Creek at Station 11-G. Photograph by Robert G. + Webb.] + + 1-S: Pottawatomie Co., mouth of Big Blue River, Sec. 16, T. 10S, R. 8E, + June 20, 1958. + + 2-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 4, T. 10S, R. 8E, June 6, 12, and + 14, 1957. + + 3-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, E 1/2, Sec. 30, T. 9S, R. 8E, Mar. 30, + Apr. 6, July 15, 16, 17, Aug. 14, and Dec. 26, 1957; Apr. 26, June + 20, and Aug. 5, 1958. + + 4-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River at Rocky Ford Dam, W 1/2, Sec. 30, T. 9S, + R. 8E, Aug. 14, 1957; and Aug. 5, 1958. + + 5-G: Pottawatomie Co., McIntire Creek, Sec. 12, T. 9S, R. 7E, July 14, + 1958. + + 6-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River and adjacent borrow-pit, Sec. 24, T. 9S, + R. 7E, July 18 and 19, 1957; and July 11, 1958. + + 7-G: Riley Co., Tuttle Creek, Sec. 10, T. 9S, R. 7E, Aug. 5, 1958. + + 8-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 10, T. 9S, R. 7E, Aug. 14, 1957. + + 9-G: Riley Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 4, T. 9S, R. 7E, July 20 and 25, 1958. + + 10-G: Riley Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 2, T. 9S, R. 6E, Aug. 13, 1957. + + 11-G: Pottawatomie Co., Carnahan Creek, Sec. 22, 27, and 34, T. 8S, + R. 7E, Aug. 1, 1957; and July 8, 1958. + + 12-G: Pottawatomie Co., unnamed tributary to Carnahan Creek, Sec. 15, + T. 8S, R. 7E, Mar. 19, 1956 (collection made before my formal study + was begun). + + 13-G: Pottawatomie Co., Carnahan Creek, Sec. 36, T. 7S, R. 7E, Aug. 13, + 1957. + + 14-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 18, T. 8S, R. 7E, Mar. 22, 1958. + + 15-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 7, T. 8S, R. 7E, Apr. 3, and June + 12, 1958. + + 16-G: Riley Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 1, T. 8S, R. 6E, July 10, and Aug. + 5, 1958. + + 17-G: Riley Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 10, T. 8S, R. 6E, June 26, 1958. + + 18-G: Riley Co., Fancy Creek, Sec. 14, T. 7S, R. 6E, July 29, 1957. + + 19-G: Riley Co., Walnut Creek, Sec. 20, T. 7S, R. 6E, June 26, 1958. + + 20-G: Riley Co., Fancy Creek, Sec. 2, T. 7S, R. 5E, Mar. 13, 1957; and + June 26, 1958. + + 21-G: Riley Co., Schoolhouse Branch, Sec. 35, T. 6S, R. 5E, July 22, + 1958. + + 22-G: Riley Co., Fancy Creek, Sec. 33, T. 6S, R. 5E, June 1, 1957. + + 23-G: Riley Co., West Branch Fancy Creek, Sec. 32 and 33, T. 6S, R. 5E, + June 1 and 3, 1957. + + 24-G: Clay Co., West Branch Fancy Creek, Sec. 32 and 33, T. 6S, R. 4E, + July 22, 1958. + + 25-S: Riley Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 5, T. 7S, R. 7E, Aug. 7, 1958. + + 26-G: Riley Co., Swede Creek, Sec. 21, T. 6S, R. 7E, Mar. 22, 1958. + + 27-G: Pottawatomie Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 14, T. 6S, R. 7E, Sept. 10, + 1957. + + 28-G: Pottawatomie Co., Bluff Creek, Sec. 6, T. 6S, R. 8E, Oct. 6, + 1957. + + 29-G: Pottawatomie Co., Bluff Creek, Sec. 15, T. 6S, R. 8E, June 29, + 1958. + + 30-M: Marshall Co., Black Vermillion River, Sec. 9, T. 5S, R. 8E, Mar. + 5, 1958. + + 31-G: Pottawatomie Co., Clear Creek, Sec. 3, T. 6S, R. 9E, July 14, + 1958. + + 32-G: Pottawatomie Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 14, T. 6S, R. 9E, July 14, + 1958. + + 33-M: Marshall Co., Robidoux Creek, Sec. 20, T. 2S, R. 9E, July 23, + 1958. + + 34-M: Marshall Co., Little Timber Creek, Sec. 10, T. 4S, R. 9E, Oct. 6, + 1957. + + 35-M: Marshall Co., Black Vermillion River, Sec. 15, T. 4S, R. 9E, Aug. + 9, 1958. + + 36-M: Marshall Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 8, T. 4S, R. 9E, Oct. 6, 1957. + + 37-M: Marshall Co., Black Vermillion River, Sec. 11, T. 4S, R. 10E, + Oct. 6, 1957. + + 38-S: Marshall Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 18, T. 5S, R. 8E, Aug. 8, + 1958. + + 39-S: Marshall Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 20, T. 4S, R. 7E, May 29, + 1958. + + 40-M: Washington Co., Coon Creek, Sec. 27, T. 4S, R. 4E, July 22, 1958. + + 41-S: Marshall Co., Little Blue River, Sec. 9, 16, and 17, T. 4S, R. + 6E, June 27, 1958. + + 42-S: Washington Co., Little Blue River, Sec. 21, T. 3S, R. 5E, Aug. 8, + 1958. + + 43-S: Washington Co., Little Blue River, Sec. 5 and 8, T. 3S, R. 5E, + July 30, 1957. + + 44-S: Washington Co., Little Blue River, Sec. 36, T. 1S, R. 4E, July + 31, 1957. + + 45-M: Washington Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 35 and 36, T. 1S, R. 4E, July + 31, 1957. + + 46-M: Washington Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 4, T. 2S, R. 4E, July 31, 1957. + + 47-M: Washington Co., Spring Creek, Sec. 11 and 12, T. 2S, R. 3E, June + 19, 1958. + + 48-M: Washington Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 28, T. 2S, R. 2E, June 19, 1958. + + 49-M: Republic Co., Mill Creek, Sec. 8 and 17, T. 2S, R. 1W, July 23, + 1958. + + 50-S: Washington Co., Little Blue River, Sec. 5, T. 1S, R. 4E, Aug. 9, + 1958. + + 51-M: Republic Co., Rose Creek, Sec. 20, T. 1S, R. 2W, July 23, 1958. + + 52-S: Marshall Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 6, T. 4S, R. 7E, Aug. 6, 1958. + + 53-S: Marshall Co., Big Blue River, Sec. 18, T. 3S, R. 7E, July 29 and + 30, 1957; May 28, and Aug. 6, 1958. + + 54-G: Marshall Co., Hop Creek, Sec. 13 and 18, T. 3S, R. 7E, May 28, + 1958. + + 55-M: Marshall Co., Spring Creek, Sec. 29, T. 2S, R. 8E, July 9, 1958. + + 56-S: Marshall Co., Big Blue River at Marysville Dam, Sec. 20, T. 2S, + R. 7E, June 16, 1958. + + 57-M: Marshall Co., Horseshoe Creek, Sec. 6, T. 2S, R. 7E, July 1, + 1958. + + 58-G: Marshall Co., unnamed creek, Sec. 2, T. 1S, R. 7E, July 1, 1958. + + 59-G: Marshall Co., Mission Creek, Sec. 3, T. 1S, R. 8E, Nov. 30, 1957. + + + + +ANNOTATED LIST OF SPECIES + + +Forty-eight species were obtained in this survey and five others +have been recorded in literature or are deposited in museums: KSC = +Kansas State College Museum; and UMMZ = University of Michigan +Museum of Zoology. Specimens, unless designated otherwise, are in +the University of Kansas Museum of Natural History (KU). + +In this list, the scientific name of each species is followed by the +common name, citations of previous records, and the stations where +the species was obtained. I follow Bailey (1956:328-329) in treating +_Lepisosteus osseus_ (Linnaeus), _Catostomus commersonnii_ +(Lacepede), _Semotilus atromaculatus_ (Mitchill), _Notropis +lutrensis_ (Baird and Girard), _Pimephales promelas_ Rafinesque, +_Ictalurus melas_ (Rafinesque), _Ictalurus punctatus_ (Rafinesque), +and _Lepomis macrochirus_ Rafinesque, in binomial form only. + +=Scaphirhynchus platorynchus= (Rafinesque), shovelnose sturgeon: +Jennings (1942:364) as _Scaphirhynchus platorhynchus_ (Rafinesque); +Bailey and Cross (1954:191). Stations 3-S and 4-S. + +Shovelnose sturgeon were found only in the lower portion of the Big +Blue River. On April 20, 1957, many were seen in fishermen's creels +at Stations 3-S and 4-S. One male and two females that I examined on +that date were ripe or nearly so; eggs seemed well developed and +milt flowed freely from the male. After April, 1957, none was +collected or observed until April 26, 1958, when one specimen was +obtained while shocking. Forbes and Richardson (1920:27) reported +that shovelnose sturgeon spawn in Illinois between April and June, +and Eddy and Surber (1947:80) reported spawning in May and early +June in Wisconsin and Minnesota. + +=Lepisosteus platostomus= Rafinesque, shortnose gar: Jennings +(1942:364). Stations 3-S and 4-S. + +I saw shortnose gar at various times in 1956 and 1957 at Rocky Ford +Dam on the Big Blue River (Station 4-S). One was seen while shocking +at Station 3-S on December 26, 1957. + +=Lepisosteus osseus= (Linnaeus), longnose gar: Jennings (1942:364) +as _Lepisosteus osseus oxyurus_ Rafinesque. Stations 1-S, 2-S, 3-S, +4-S, 6-S, 8-S, 9-G, 15-S, 18-G, 25-S, 41-S, 44-S, 52-S, and 53-S. + +Longnose gar were abundant in the mainstream of the Big Blue River +but usually evaded capture. This species, and the shortnose gar, +resided in the larger rivers, with _L. osseus_ being taken in only +two creeks near their mouths. In periods of high water, gar moved +into the flooded creeks, but returned to the river as stream-levels +subsided. + +Young-of-the-year _L. osseus_, averaging 21.5 mm. in total length +(range 13 to 30 mm.), were taken on June 14, 1957, and larger young +(estimated 60 to 70 mm. total length) were taken on June 27, 1958. + +=Dorosoma cepedianum= (LeSueur), gizzard shad: Jennings (1942:364). +Stations 1-S, 3-S, 4-S, 6-S, 8-S, 44-S, 45-M, and 53-S. + +Most gizzard shad were young-of-the-year, taken on July 16 and 17, +1957, at Stations 3-S and 4-S. Twenty specimens from Station 6-S +that were in their second summer of life were from 3.8 to 5.9 inches +total length at the last annulus (average 4.3). This species was +usually found in quiet water and was most abundant near the mouth of +the Big Blue River. + +=Hiodon alosoides= (Rafinesque), goldeye. Stations 3-S, 4-S, and +53-S. + +I caught five specimens of _H. alosoides_ from the Big Blue River, +and another specimen, obtained by Dr. R. B. Moorman in 1954, is at +Kansas State College (KSC 4984). + +One goldeye that I caught on April 20, 1956, prior to the beginning +of my study, was a ripe female measuring 15.5 inches total +length. The fish was beginning its seventh summer of life. + +=Cycleptus elongatus= LeSueur, blue sucker. The blue sucker is +included on the basis of a single specimen (KSC 2917) collected +by I. D. Graham and labeled "Blue River." No other data are with +the specimen; however, most fishes deposited at Kansas State College +by Graham are dated "1885" or "1886" and were caught near +"Manhattan" (Riley County). + +=Ictiobus cyprinella= (Valenciennes), bigmouth buffalo. Stations +3-S, 6-S, and 30-M. + +Bigmouth buffalo were rare, and were taken only in quiet parts of +larger streams, and in the borrow-pit at Station 6-S. + +=Ictiobus niger= (Rafinesque), black buffalo. Stations 3-S, 41-S, +and 53-S. + +Only four individuals of _I. niger_ were taken. All were large +adults (more than 20 inches in total length), and all were shocked +in the deeper, swifter areas, where the channel narrowed. + +=Ictiobus bubalus= (Rafinesque), smallmouth buffalo. Stations 1-S, +3-S, 6-S, 7-G, 18-G, 38-S, 41-S, 43-S, 46-M, and 53-S. + +This species was found in relatively quiet waters in the main +channel, in cut-off areas, and in creek-mouths. The ages and total +lengths of 30 individuals obtained at Station 6-S were (average +followed by number of fish in parentheses): I, 2.4 (11); II, 4.4 +(14); and III, 6.6 (5). + +Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6-7, 10) recorded "buffalo-fish" and +"buffalo" from the Big Blue Basin in Nebraska; however, no specific +designation was given. + +=Carpiodes forbesi= Hubbs, plains carpsucker. Station 3-S. + +This represents the first record known to me of the plains +carpsucker from Kansas. The specimen (KU 4180), 430 mm. in standard +length, has the following characters: lower lip without a median, +nipple-like projection; dorsal fin-rays, 25; lateral-line scales, +38; diameter of orbit into distance from anterior nostril to tip of +snout, 1.1; body-depth into standard length, 3.3; and head-length +into standard length, 3.9. The specimen was taken while shocking a +wide, shallow channel, over sand bottom. + +=Carpiodes carpio carpio= (Rafinesque), river carpsucker: Jennings +(1942:364). Stations 1-S, 2-S, 3-S, 4-S, 5-G, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, 9-G, +11-G, 14-S, 15-S, 18-G, 19-G, 23-G, 25-S, 27-G, 28-G, 30-M, 38-S, +39-S, 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, 44-S, 45-M, 50-S, 52-S, and 53-S. + +The river carpsucker occurred at most stations on the larger +streams, and in many of the smaller tributaries. In smaller streams +_C. c. carpio_ frequented the largest pools, in or near the +floodplains of larger streams. A marked preference for still water, +soft, silty bottoms, and areas with drift or other cover was +apparent; however, the species also occurred in open waters with +moderate to swift currents. + +The sizes attained by the river carpsucker at different ages were +(averages followed by number of fish in parentheses): I, 1.9 (10); +II, 3.9 (5); III, 5.3 (8); IV, 7.7 (5); V, 11.9 (2); VI, 11.6 (7); +VII, 12.8 (6); VIII, 13.1 (1); IX, 14.9 (2); X, 15.8 (8); and XI, +17.6 (1). These averages are significantly less than those reported +by Buchholz (1957:594) for the river carpsucker in the Des Moines +River, Iowa. + +Examination of the gonads of river carpsucker in summer, 1957, +indicated that spawning occurred in late July. Young-of-the-year, +averaging 21 mm. in total length, first appeared in my collections +on July 30, 1957. + +=Carpiodes velifer= (Rafinesque), highfin carpsucker: Meek +(1895:135); Evermann and Cox (1896:389). + +The highfin carpsucker was not taken in my survey. Meek (1895:135) +reported "this small sucker [_C. velifer_] ... common in Blue River +at Crete," characterizing the specimens as having "Dorsal rays, 24 +to 30; scales in the lateral-line, 36 to 41; head 31/2 to 4; and +depth 21/2 to 3." The ranges in the number of dorsal rays and the +number of scales in the lateral-line are higher than usual in _C. +velifer_, or in _C. c. carpio_, which is now common in the Big Blue +River Basin. Both species normally have 33 to 37 lateral-line scales +and 27 or fewer dorsal rays (Bailey, 1956:352-353; Moore, 1957:79; +and Trautman, 1957:81-82). The other characters listed by Meek would +fit the young and some adults of either species, or possibly a +composite including _C. forbesi_. + +Graham (1885:72) and Cragin (1885:107) reported _Ictiobus velifer_ +(= _Carpiodes velifer_) from "Eureka Lake," Riley County, Kansas. +This lake, which no longer exists, was in the Kansas River Valley, +about ten miles upstream from the mouth of the Big Blue River. +Other, more recent records from the Kansas River Basin, in the +vicinity of the Big Blue River, are: Maple Leaf Lake, Riley Co., +Oct. 4, 1925; Deep Creek, Riley Co., no date; Wildcat Creek, Riley +Co., Sept. 7, 1923; and Wildcat Creek, Riley Co., Sept. 29, 1925 +(UMMZ 122187-90). Most of the collections were made by Minna E. +Jewell (Nelson, personal communication). + +=Moxostoma aureolum= (LeSueur), northern redhorse: Cragin (1885:108) +as _Moxostoma macrolepidotum_ LeSueur; Meek (1895:136) as _Moxostoma +macrolepidotum duquesnei_ (LeSueur); Evermann and Cox (1896:394-395); +and Jennings (1942:364) as _Moxostoma erythrurum_ (Rafinesque). +Stations 41-S, 43-S, 44-S, and 53-S. + +I collected three northern redhorse from the Big Blue River Basin, and +another specimen was seined in the mouth of Mill Creek, Riley County +(my present Station 9-G) by the Kansas State College class in +fisheries management in 1954 (KSC 5068). I reidentify as _M. aureolum_ +the two specimens recorded by Jennings (_loc. cit._) as _M. +erythrurum_. + +The subspecific status of _M. aureolum_ in the Kansas River Basin is +to be the subject of another paper. + +=Catostomus commersonnii= (Lacepede), white sucker: Canfield and Wiebe +(1931:8) as "common suckers"; and Breukelman (1940:380). Stations 7-G, +11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 18-G, 19-G, 23-G, 29-G, 31-G, 53-S, 57-M, and +58-G. + +The white sucker occurred primarily in upland streams of the Flint +Hills, with one occurrence in muddy habitat, and one in the main +stream of the Big Blue River. Young _C. commersonnii_ were often +taken in riffles, but adults were in the larger, deeper pools. The +ages and total lengths at the last annulus for 12 white suckers +were: I, 2.8 (4); II, 3.9 (6); III, 8.2 (1); and IV, 9.2 (1). + +=Cyprinus carpio= Linnaeus, carp: Canfield and Wiebe (1931:5-8, 10) +as "carp." Stations 1-S, 2-S, 3-S, 4-S, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, 15-S, 16-G, +18-G, 23-G, 24-G, 25-S, 27-G, 30-M, 35-M, 38-S, 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, +44-S, 45-M, 52-S, 53-S, and 56-S. + +Carp occurred throughout the basin. The habitat of this species +closely approximated that of the river carpsucker; however, carp +were more often taken in moderate to swift water than were _C. c. +carpio_. + +The ages and average lengths at the last annulus for 40 carp from +the Big Blue River Basin were: I, 2.3 (4); II, 4.7 (10); III, 7.0 +(10); IV, 9.0 (3); V, 11.3 (4); VI, 18.6 (1); VII, 18.9 (3); VIII, +no fish; IX, 20.6 (3); X, 19.1 (2); XI, 21.1 (1); XII, 22.0 (1); and +XIII, 24.1 (2). + +=Carassius auratus= (Linnaeus), goldfish. Station 4-S. + +I saw goldfish seined from Station 4-S by anglers obtaining bait on +April 20, 1957. Goldfish were commonly used for bait at Stations 4-S +and 54-S. + +=Semotilus atromaculatus= (Mitchill), creek chub: Evermann and Cox +(1896:399); and Jennings (1942:364) as _Semotilus atromaculatus +atromaculatus_ (Mitchill). Stations 5-G, 7-G, 10-G, 11-G, 12-G, +13-G, 16-G, 17-G, 18-G, 23-G, 24-G, 27-G, 28-G, 29-G, 31-G, 32-G, +33-M, 34-M, 36-M, 37-M, 40-M, 46-M, 47-M, 48-M, 49-M, 50-S, 53-S, +54-G, 55-M, 56-S, 57-M, 58-G, and 59-G. + +Creek chubs were found in all habitats in the Big Blue River Basin, +but were abundant only in the headwaters of muddy streams and in +clear upland creeks. + +=Chrosomus erythrogaster= (Rafinesque), southern redbelly dace: +Jennings (1942:365). Stations 11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 27-G, 29-G, +and 53-S. + +This colorful species occupied the headwaters of the clear, +spring-fed creeks where it was abundant. Only one specimen was taken +in muddy or sandy habitat (at the mouth of a small creek at Station +53-S), where it may have been washed by floods just prior to my +collecting. + +=Hybopsis storeriana= (Kirtland), silver chub. Station 3-S. + +One specimen of _H. storeriana_ (KU 3810) was seined in swift water +near a sandbar on April 6, 1957, and another was taken at the same +locality on April 26, 1958. + +=Hybopsis aestivalis= (Girard), speckled chub: Meek (1895:137); and +Evermann and Cox (1896:409), both as _Hybopsis hyostomus_ Gilbert. +Stations 3-S, 4-S, 14-S, 25-S, 38-S, 39-S, 50-S, and 56-S. + +This species was restricted to wide, swift parts of the Big Blue and +Little Blue rivers, and was found over clean, sometimes shifting, +sand bottoms. On May 29, 1958, three males in breeding condition +were collected and on June 16, 1958, a large series of both male and +female _H. aestivalis_, all with well-developed gonads, was +collected. The water temperature was 77.0 deg.F. Hubbs and Ortenburger +(1929:25-26) reported that _Extrarius tetranemus_ (Gilbert) (= +_Hybopsis aestivalis tetranemus_) spawns in summer especially in +early July. Cross (1950:135) reported a single pair of _H. a. +tetranemus_ that he considered in breeding condition on June 9, +1948. + +Breukelman (1940:380) recorded speckled chubs in the Kansas River +Basin as _Extrarius_ (= _Hybopsis_) _aestivalis_: _sesquialis_ x +_tetranemus_; however, the name _sesquialis_ is a _nomen nudum_, +and the status of this species in the Kansas River Basin is yet to +be elucidated. + +=Phenacobius mirabilis= (Girard), plains suckermouth minnow: Meek +(1895:136); and Evermann and Cox (1896:408). Stations 2-S, 3-S, 4-S, +5-G, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, 9-G, 11-G, 16-G, 18-G, 25-S, 26-G, 27-G, 35-M, +38-S, 39-S, 40-M, 42-S, 47-M, 50-S, 52-S, 53-S, 54-G, and 56-S. + +_Phenacobius mirabilis_ was widespread in the basin, occurring most +frequently on riffles over bottoms of clean sand or gravel. +Young-of-the-year were usually taken in backwaters. + +=Notropis percobromus= (Cope), plains shiner. Stations 3-S and 4-S. + +The plains shiner occurred only in the lower part of the main stream +of the Big Blue River. + +=Notropis rubellus= (Agassiz), rosyface shiner. Station 5-G. + +One rosyface shiner (KU 4195) was taken. This species was previously +reported from only two localities in the Kansas River Basin: in the +Mill Creek Watershed, Wabaunsee County, and Blacksmith Creek, +Shawnee County as _Notropis rubrifrons_ (Cope) (Gilbert, 1886:208). +Mill Creek and Blacksmith Creek are northward-flowing tributaries of +the Kansas River that arise in the Flint Hills. Graham (1885:73) +also recorded _N. rubellus_ (as _N. rubrifrons_) from the "Kansas +and Missouri Rivers"; however, I suspect that his specimens were +_Notropis percobromus_, a species not generally recognized in +Graham's time (see Hubbs, 1945:16-17). _Notropis rubellus_ is now +abundant in the Mill Creek Watershed (Wabaunsee County), but, except +for my specimen No. 4195, has not been taken recently in other +streams in the Kansas River Basin. + +=Notropis umbratilis umbratilis= (Girard), redfin shiner. Station +3-S. + +One specimen of _N. u. umbratilis_ was captured near a sandbar on +March 26, 1958. The absence of this species in Flint Hills streams +of the Big Blue River Basin is unexplained; redfin shiners occur +commonly in southern tributaries of the Kansas River both upstream +and downstream from the mouth of the Big Blue River. In Kansas this +species is usually associated with the larger pools of clear, upland +streams. + +Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6-8) may have referred to this species in +recording "black-fin minnows" from the Nebraskan portion of the Big +Blue River Basin. + +=Notropis cornutus frontalis= (Agassiz), common shiner. Stations +4-S, 5-G, 7-G, 10-G, 11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 18-G, 22-G, 26-G, 27-G, 28-G, +29-G, 31-G, 32-G, and 59-G. + +Common shiners were most abundant in middle sections of the clear, +gravelly creeks. + +=Notropis lutrensis= (Baird and Girard), red shiner: Meek +(1895:136); and Evermann and Cox (1896:404-405). All stations +excepting 1-S, 17-G, 30-M, and 51-M. + +Red shiners were the most widespread species taken in my survey, +occurring in all habitats, and in all kinds of streams. On two +occasions I observed what apparently was spawning behavior of this +species. Both times the specimens collected were in the height of +breeding condition, stripping in the hand easily, and often without +pressure. At the first locality (Station 29-G) no attempt was made +to obtain eggs, but by disturbing the bottom at the second (55-M) I +found eggs that were thought to be those of red shiners. The eggs +were slightly adhesive, clinging to the hand and to the bobbinet +seine. + +On June 29, 1958, at Station 29-G, red shiners appeared to be +spawning in an open-water area measuring about 15 by 15 feet, over +nests of _Lepomis cyanellus_ Rafinesque and _L. humilis_ (Girard). +No interspecific activity was noted between the sunfish and the red +shiners. Water temperature at this station was 73.4 deg.F., and the +bottom was gravel, sand, and mud. Observations were made from a high +cut-bank, by naked eye and by use of 7-X binoculars. + +The red shiners moved rapidly at the surface of the water, with one +male (rarely two or more) following one female. The male followed +closely, passing the female and causing her to change direction. At +the moment of the female's hesitation, prior to her turn, the male +would erect his fins in display, at the side and a little in front +of the female. After brief display, usually less than two seconds, +the male resumed the chase, swimming behind and around the female in +a spiral fashion. After a chase of two to three feet, the female +would sometimes allow the male to approach closely on her left side. +The male nudged the female on the caudal peduncle and in the anal +region, moving alongside with his head near the lower edge of the +left operculum of the female, thus placing his genital pore about a +head-length behind and below that of the female. At this time +spawning must have occurred; however, possibly because of the speed +of the chase, I observed no vibration of the fish as described for +other species of _Notropis_ at the culmination of spawning +(Pfeiffer, 1955:98; Raney, 1947:106; and others). While the spawning +act presumably occurred the pair was in forward motion in a straight +course, for three to five feet, at the end of which the male moved +rapidly away, gyrating to the side and down. The female then swam +away at a slower rate. In instances when the female failed to allow +the male to move alongside, the male sometimes increased his speed, +striking the female, and often causing her to jump from the water. + +Some conflict between males was observed, usually when two or more +followed one female. The males would leave the female, swerve to one +side, and stop, facing each other or side by side. At this moment +the fins were greatly elevated in display. There was usually a rush +on the part of one male, resulting in the flight of the other, and +the aggressive male would pursue for about two feet. Many times the +pursued male jumped from the water. + +At Station 55-M, on July 9, 1958, activity similar to that described +above was observed in a small pool near a mass of debris. At this +station I watched from the bank, three feet from the spawning +shiners. Water temperature was not recorded. + +The minnows performed the same types of chase and display, all in +open water, as described for Station 29-G, However, at Station 55-M, +much activity of males occurred near the small deposit of debris. It +seemed that conflict was taking place, with males behaving as +described above, and milling violently about. Examination of the +area revealed nests of _L. cyanellus_ near the debris, and some of +the activity by the shiners may have been raids on nests of the +sunfish. However, females nearing the group of males were +immediately chased by one to four individual males, with one usually +continuing pursuit after a short chase by the group. The male again +moved into position at the lower left edge of the operculum of the +female as at Station 29-G. + +Another kind of behavior was observed also, in which the female +sometimes stopped. The male approached, erecting his fins and +arching his body to the left. The female also assumed this arch to +the left, and the pair moved in a tight, counter-clockwise circle, +with the male on the inside. After a short period in this position, +the male moved aside in display, and gyrated to the side and down. +Females at both stations moved about slowly, usually remaining in +the immediate vicinity of activity by males, and returning to the +area even when pursued and deserted some distance away. + +=Notropis deliciosus= (Girard), sand shiner: Meek (1895:136); +Evermann and Cox (1896:402), both as _Notropis blennius_ (Girard); +and Jennings (1942:365) as _Notropis deliciosus missuriensis_ +(Cope). All stations excepting 1-S, 10-G, 12-G, 17-G, 20-G, 21-G, +22-G, 24-G, 29-G, 30-M, 31-G, 32-G, 33-M, 35-M, 51-M, 55-M, 57-M, +58-G, and 59-G. + +Nelson (personal communication) has studied the sand shiner in +Kansas, and has found that the Big Blue River is an area of +intergradation between the southwestern subspecies (_deliciosus_) +and the plains subspecies (_missuriensis_). _Notropis d. deliciosus_ +prefers cool, rocky habitat, and occurs in small streams of the +Flint Hills, whereas _N. d. missuriensis_ occupies the sandy, turbid +Big Blue and Little Blue rivers. Intergrades occur most frequently +in the Big Blue River, but are found in all habitats. + +=Notropis topeka= (Gilbert), Topeka shiner: Meek (1895:136); +Evermann and Cox (1896:403); and Minckley and Cross (in press). +Stations 10-G, 11-G, 12-G, 19-G, 31-G, and 32-G. + +This species was common locally in the upland streams. Female Topeka +shiners stripped easily at Station 11-G on July 8, 1958, and adult +_N. topeka_ in high breeding condition were collected at Station +31-G on July 14, 1958. The water temperature at both stations was +77.5 deg.F. Evermann and Cox (1896:403-404) recorded female Topeka +shiners "nearly ripe" on June 29, 1893. + +=Notropis buchanani= Meek, ghost shiner. Stations 3-S and 4-S. Only +two specimens of _N. buchanani_ were taken, both on August 14, 1957. +These specimens (KU 3833), a female with well-developed ova, and a +tuberculate male, were near a sandbar in the main channel. To my +knowledge, this is the first published record of the ghost shiner +from the Kansas River Basin. Mr. James Booth, State Biological +Survey, collected _N. buchanani_ from two stations on Mill Creek, +Wabaunsee County, Kansas, 1953. + +=Hybognathus nuchalis= Agassiz, silvery minnow. Stations 2-S, 3-S, +4-S, 7-G, 8-S, and 16-G. + +This species was taken sporadically, but sometimes abundantly, in +the Big Blue River. At Stations 7-G and 16-G a few young-of-the-year +were found. + + + TABLE 2. COMPARISONS OF THREE SERIES OF _HYBOGNATHUS_, 50 SPECIMENS + EACH, FROM DIFFERENT STREAM SYSTEMS. + + TABLE LEGEND: + Column A: [=X] = MEAN;, + Column B: [sigma] = ONE STANDARD DEVIATION; + Column C: 2 [sigma]_{m} = TWO STANDARD ERRORS. + + RANGES ARE IN PARENTHESES. + + STANDARD LENGTHS OF SPECIMENS ARE: + WALNUT RIVER, KANSAS, 60.0 TO 72.7 mm., [=X] = 67.1; + BIG BLUE RIVER, 43.3 TO 63.3 mm., [=X] = 52.0; AND + CHIPPEWA RIVER, WISCONSIN, 57.6 TO 74.4 mm., [=X] = 65.9. + + ================+=================+=================+================== + | Walnut River, | | Chippewa River, + | Kansas | | Wisconsin + COUNT OR | _H. n. placita_,| Big Blue River, | _H. n. nuchalis_, + PROPORTIONAL | KU 3869 | Kansas KU 3812 | KU 2012 + MEASUREMENT +-------+----+----+-------+----+----+-------+-----+---- + | A | B | C | A | B | C | A | B | C + ----------------+-------+----+----+-------+----+----+-------+-----+---- + Lateral-line | 38.9 | 1.1| 0.4| 37.2 | 1.1| 0.4| 37.3 | 1.0 | 0.2 + scales |(37-41)| | |(35-39)| | |(35-39)| | + | | | | | | | | | + Predorsal | 16.8 | 0.9| 0.7| 15.9 | 0.8| 0.2| 15.1 | 0.5 | 0.1 + scale-rows |(15-19)| | |(14-17)| | |(14-17)| | + | | | | | | | | | + Scale-rows below| 15.6 | 1.2| 0.3| 14.9 | 1.0| 0.3| 12.9 | 0.7 | 0.2 + lateral-line |(13-18)| | |(12-16)| | |(12-15)| | + | | | | | | | | | + Scale-rows | 16.2 | 1.1| 0.3| 15.8 | 0.8| 0.2| 13.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 + around caudal |(15-19)| | |(14-18)| | |(12-15)| | + peduncle | | | | | | | | | + ----------------+-------+----+----+-------+----+----+-------+-----+---- + + + TABLE 2.--Concluded. + + ============+===================+==================+=================== + | Walnut River, | | Chippewa River, + | Kansas | | Wisconsin + COUNT OR | _H. n. placita_, | Big Blue River, | _H. n. nuchalis_, + PROPORTIONAL| KU 3869 | Kansas KU 3812 | KU 2012 + MEASUREMENT +-------+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+-------+-----+----- + | A | B | C | A | B | C | A | B | C + ------------+-------+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+-------+-----+----- + Orbit / | .051 |.0035|.0010| .059 |.0047|.0013| .068 |.0044|.0013 + standard |(044- | | |(047- | | |(059- | | + length | 61)| | | 71)| | | 77)| | + | | | | | | | | | + Gape-width /|.066 |.0046|.0013| .064 |.0044|.0013| .056 |.0038|.0011 + standard |(055- | | |(055- | | |(046- | | + length | 75)| | | 74)| | | 64)| | + | | | | | | | | | + Orbit / | .776 |.0083|.0024| .907 |.0080|.0023| 1.223 |.0119|.0034 + gape-width |(647- | | |(712- | | |(953- | | + | 945)| | |1.067)| | | 1.566)| | + ------------+-------+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+-------+-----+----- + + +Bailey (1956:333) does not consider the southwestern _Hybognathus +placita_ (Girard) specifically distinct from the northeastern _H. +nuchalis_, but little evidence of intergradation has been published. +In Table 2, I have compared measurements and counts of 50 specimens +of _Hybognathus_ from the Big Blue River, 50 _H. n. placita_ from +the Walnut River, Kansas (Arkansas River Basin), and 50 _H. n. +nuchalis_ from Wisconsin. Measurements and counts were made by +methods described by Hubbs and Lagler (1947:8-15) and measurements +are expressed as thousandths of standard length. + +_Hybognathus_ from the Big Blue River tend to have fewer, larger +scales than _H. n. placita_ from the Walnut River, Kansas, but more +and smaller scales than _H. n. nuchalis_ from Wisconsin. In +specimens from the Blue River, the size of the orbit divided by +standard length, and the width of gape divided by standard length +and width of orbit, are also intermediate between the Walnut River +and Wisconsin specimens, but tend toward the former. Specimens from +the Big Blue River resemble _H. n. placita_ from the Walnut River in +body shape, robustness, and in the embedding of scales on the nape. + +=Pimephales notatus= (Rafinesque), bluntnose minnow: Meek +(1895:136); and Evermann and Cox (1896:399). Stations 2-S, 3-S, 5-G, +6-S, 8-S, 9-G, 10-G, 11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 19-G, 27-G, 29-G, 53-S, +54-G, and 58-G. + +The bluntnose minnow preferred the clearer creeks, with gravel or +gravel-silt bottoms, but occurred rarely in the mainstream of the +Big Blue River. Males and females in high breeding condition were +taken on July 14, 1958. The temperature of the water was 75.5 deg. F. + +=Pimephales promelas= Rafinesque, fathead minnow: Meek (1895: 136); +and Evermann and Cox (1896:397-398). All stations excepting 1-S, +4-S, 12-G, 30-M, 43-S, 44-S, and 56-S. + +Small muddy streams were preferred by _P. promelas_; however, the +fathead minnow was taken in all habitats, and in association with +most other species. + +Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6-7) may have recorded _P. promelas_ from +the Big Blue River Basin, Nebraska, as "blackhead minnows." + +=Campostoma anomalum plumbeum= (Girard), stoneroller. All stations +excepting 1-S, 2-S, 3-S, 14-S, 15-S, 21-G, 22-G, 28-G, 30-M, 33-M, +34-M, 35-M, 36-M, 37-M, 38-S, 41-S, 44-S, 45-M, 51-M, 52-S, and +55-M. + +Stonerollers were usually taken in riffles with gravel-rubble +bottoms. Those individuals collected in areas with mud or sand +bottoms were almost invariably in the current, or in the edge of +currents. + +Specimens from the Big Blue River Basin have an average of 47.4 +scale-rows around the body (range 42-54). + +=Ictalurus melas= (Rafinesque), black bullhead: Evermann and Cox +(1896:387) as _Ameiurus melas_ (Rafinesque); and Canfield and Wiebe +(1931:5-7, 10) as "bullheads." Stations 2-S, 6-S, 7-G, 11-G, 16-G, +20-G, 22-G, 23-G, 24-G, 28-G, 35-M, 40-M, 51-M, 53-S, 55-M, 56-S, +57-M, and 58-G. + +Black bullhead occurred in all habitats, but were less commonly +taken in the Big Blue and Little Blue rivers than in other streams. + +=Ictalurus natalis= (LeSueur), yellow bullhead. Stations 7-G, 9-G, +10-G, 11-G, 17-G, 18-G, 19-G, 34-M, 35-M, 36-M, 37-M, 40-M, 47-M, +48-M, 53-S, and 55-M. + +The yellow bullhead inhabited the muddy-bottomed streams and the +upland, gravelly creeks, usually occurring in the headwaters. I +obtained only one _I. natalis_ in the sandy Big Blue River. + +=Ictalurus punctatus= (Rafinesque), channel catfish: Cragin +(1885:107); Meek (1895:135); Evermann and Cox (1896:386); and +Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6-7, 10) as "channel catfish." Stations +1-S, 2-S, 3-S, 4-S, 5-G, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, 9-G, 11-G, 14-S, 15-S, 16-G, +18-G, 25-S, 27-G, 30-M, 35-M, 38-S, 39-S, 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, 44-S, +46-M, 50-S, 51-M, 52-S, 53-S, and 56-S. + +Channel catfish were most common in the larger, sandy streams, but +occurred in other kinds of streams. The ages and calculated total +lengths at the last annulus for 40 channel catfish were: I, no fish; +II, 7.3 (16); III, 10.6 (5); IV, 12.3 (5); V, 13.3 (6); VI, 15.5 +(4); VII, 18.0 (3); and VIII, 21.9 (1). These lengths are slightly +lower than averages reported by Finnell and Jenkins (1954:5) in +Oklahoma impoundments. + +The length-frequency distribution of 438 channel catfish, collected +by rotenone on August 5 and 7, 1958, indicated that two age-groups +were represented. Without examination of spines, I assigned 265 fish +to age-group O (1.3 to 2.9 inches, average 2.5) and 173 fish to +age-group I (3.1 to 5.8 inches, average 4.5). The average total +length of age group I (4.5 inches) is only slightly higher than the +total length at the first annulus reported as average for Oklahoma +(4.0 inches, Finnell and Jenkins, _loc. cit._). It seems unlikely +that my yearling fish taken in August, 1958, would have reached the +length at the second annulus recorded in my study of spines (7.3 +inches) by the end of the 1958 growing season. + +From 1952 to 1956, severe drought was prevalent in Kansas, probably +causing streams to flow less than at any previously recorded time +(Minckley and Cross, in press). This drought must have resulted in +reduced populations of fishes in the streams. The channel catfish +hatched in 1956 were therefore subjected to low competition for +food and space when normal flow was resumed in 1957, and grew +rapidly, reaching an average total length of 7.3 inches at the +second annulus, while channel catfish that were members of the large +1957 and 1958 hatches suffered more competition and grew more +slowly. + +=Noturus flavus= Rafinesque, stonecat: Jennings (1942:365). Stations +3-S, 4-S, 6-S, 16-G, 25-S, 28-G, 38-S, 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, 52-S, 53-S, +and 56-S. + +_Noturus flavus_ frequented riffles and swift currents along +sandbars in the Big Blue and Little Blue rivers. Cross (1954:311) +reported that "the shale-strewn riffles of the South Fork [of the +Cottonwood River, Kansas] provide ideal habitat for the stonecat." +In my study-area, this species was found not only on rubble-bottomed +riffles, but occurred along both stationary and shifting sandbars +where no cover was apparent. + +=Pylodictis olivaris= (Rafinesque), flathead catfish: Canfield and +Wiebe (1931:7) as "yellow catfish." Stations 3-S, 4-S, 6-S, 8-S, +15-S, 25-S, 38-S, 41-S, 43-S, 44-S, 53-S, and 56-S. + +Flathead catfish were found only in the larger rivers. The species +was taken rarely by seine, but was readily obtained by electric +shocker. Data on the age and growth and food-habits of this species +are to be the subject of another paper. + +=Anguilla bostoniensis= (LeSueur), American eel: Jennings +(1942:365). + +American eels are now rare in Kansas, and none was taken in my +survey. The specimen reported by Jennings (_loc. cit._) is at Kansas +State College (KSC 2916), and was taken by I. D. Graham from the Big +Blue River, Riley County, 1885. + +=Fundulus kansae= Garman, plains killifish. Station 42-S. + +The plains killifish was collected by me only at Station 42-S. +Specimens were collected from my Station 4-S by the Kansas State +College class in fisheries management in 1954 (KSC 4985). My +specimens were 11 to 13 mm. in total length. + +=Roccus chrysops= (Rafinesque), white bass. Station 3-S. + +That the white bass is indigenous to Kansas is evidenced by records +of Graham (1885:77) and Cragin (1885:111); however, since that time, +and prior to the introduction of this species into reservoirs in the +State, _R. chrysops_ has rarely been recorded in Kansas. I collected +young white bass at Station 3-S in both 1957 and 1958, and I +collected them also in an oxbow of the Kansas River four miles west +of Manhattan, Riley County, Kansas, in the mouth of McDowell's +Creek, Riley County, and in Deep Creek, Wabaunsee County, and I saw +other specimens from an oxbow of the Kansas River on the Fort Riley +Military Reservation, Riley County, Kansas. The apparent increase in +abundance of white bass in the Kansas River Basin must be +attributable to introductions in reservoirs, with subsequent escape +and establishment in the streams. + +=Micropterus salmoides salmoides= (Lacepede), largemouth bass. +Stations 6-S, 11-G, 43-S, and 45-M. + +Four largemouth bass were taken. This species has been widely +stocked in farm-ponds and other impoundments in Kansas. + +=Lepomis cyanellus= Rafinesque, green sunfish: Breukelman +(1940:382); and Canfield and Wiebe (1931:5, 7-8, 10) as "green +sunfish." All stations excepting 1-S, 2-S, 4-S, 8-S, 9-G, 15-S, +22-G, 25-S, 30-M, 32-G, 34-M, 38-S, 39-S, 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, 44-S, +45-M, 46-M, 47-M, 50-S, and 52-S. + +Green sunfish occurred primarily in the muddy streams. The ages and +total lengths at the last annulus for 25 specimens are as follows: +I, 1.1 (9); II, 2.2 (4); III, 3.1 (7); IV, 5.4 (4); and V, 6.0 (1). +Male green sunfish were seen on nests on June 29, July 1, and July +9, 1958. + +=Lepomis humilis= (Girard), orangespotted sunfish: Meek (1895:137); +Evermann and Cox (1896:418); Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6) as "orange +spots"; and Breukelman (1940:382). All stations excepting 1-S, 9-G, +13-G, 15-G, 17-G, 21-G, 26-G, 34-M, 36-M, 38-M, 43-M, 44-S, 47-M, +50-S, and 52-S. + +_Lepomis humilis_ was most common over sand-silt bottoms. Only two +age-groups were found; their calculated total lengths were I, 1.7 +(15); and II, 2.4 (10). Orangespotted sunfish were seen nesting on +the same dates as _Lepomis cyanellus_. + +=Lepomis macrochirus= Rafinesque, bluegill. Stations 7-G, 13-G, +16-G, 24-G, and 59-G. + +This species has been widely stocked in Kansas. Only +young-of-the-year and sub-adults were taken, and these were rare. + +=Pomoxis annularis= Rafinesque, white crappie: Canfield and Wiebe +(1931:5-8, 10) as "white crappie." Stations 3-S, 6-S, 8-S, 12-G, +42-S, and 53-S. + +White crappie were rare, except in a borrow-pit at Station 6-S. Ages +and calculated total lengths at the last annulus for 50 specimens +from 6-S are as follows: I, 3.6 (22); II, 5.0 (14); III, 7.1 (5); +IV, 8.3 (7); and V, 10.7 (2). + +=Pomoxis nigromaculatus= (LeSueur), black crappie. Station 6-S. + +One black crappie (KU 4174) was taken. Canfield and Wiebe (1931:10) +noted: "The Black Crappie has been planted here [Big Blue River +Basin in Nebraska] by the State, but, apparently, is not propagating +itself." + +=Stizostedion canadense= (Smith), sauger. Station 56-S. + +Mr. Larry Stallbaumer, of Marysville, Kansas, obtained a sauger (KU +4179) while angling on May 25, 1958. + +=Stizostedion vitreum= (Mitchill), walleye. + +Though I failed to obtain the walleye in my survey, Dr. Raymond E. +Johnson (personal communication) reported that the species occurred +in the Nebraskan portion of the Big Blue River in recent years. +Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6, 10) reported that "yellow pike are taken +at Crete [Nebraska]," but may have referred to either the walleye or +the sauger. + +=Perca flavescens= (Mitchill), yellow perch: Canfield and Wiebe +(1931:5-6, 10) as "ring perch" and "yellow perch." + +This fish was not taken in my survey. Canfield and Wiebe (_loc. +cit_.) reported that the yellow perch "had been planted by the State +[Nebraska]." + +=Etheostoma nigrum nigrum= Rafinesque, johnny darter: Jennings +(1942:365) as _Boleosoma nigrum nigrum_ (Rafinesque). Stations 10-G, +11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 29-G, 40-M, 53-S, and 54-G. + +The larger pools of gravelly streams were preferred by johnny +darters, but one specimen was taken from the main stream of the Big +Blue River, and the species was abundant in one stream over hard, +sand-silt bottom. + +=Etheostoma spectabile pulchellum= (Girard), orangethroat darter: +Jennings (1942:365) as _Poecilichthys spectabilis pulchellus_ +(Girard). Stations 5-G, 7-G, 10-G, 11-G, 12-G, 13-G, 16-G, 17-G, +18-G, 21-G, 23-G, 27-G, 28-G, 29-G, 33-M, 40-M, 49-M, 53-S, 54-G, +and 59-G. + +The orangethroat darter was less restricted in habitat than the +johnny darter, occurring in all stream-types, but most often in the +riffles of gravelly streams. Most specimens from muddy or sandy +streams were small. + +=Aplodinotus grunniens= Rafinesque, freshwater drum. Stations 3-S, +4-S, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, 15-S, 38-S, 39-S, 53-S, and 56-S. + +The ages and calculated total lengths at the last annulus for 42 +freshwater drum from the Big Blue River were: I, 3.0 (10); II, 5.7 +(6); III, 9.4 (7); IV, 12.1 (13); V, 14.0 (3); VI, 15.1 (2); and +VII, 16.3 (1). + + + + +HYBRID COMBINATIONS + + +I obtained two hybrid fishes in my study-area. One specimen of +_Notropis cornutus frontalis_ x _Chrosomus erythrogaster_ was taken +at Station 29-G. This combination was recorded by Trautman +(1957:114) in Ohio. The other hybrid was _Lepomis cyanellus_ x +_Lepomis humilis_, captured at Station 24-G. This combination was +first recorded by Hubbs and Ortenburger (1929:42). + +Hubbs and Bailey (1952:144) recorded another hybrid combination from +my area of study: _Campostoma anomalum plumbeum_ x _Chrosomus +erythrogaster_, UMMZ 103132, from a "spring-fed creek on 'Doc' +Wagner's farm, Riley County, Kansas; September 21, 1927; L. O. Nolf +[collector]." + + + + +RELATIVE ABUNDANCE AND DISCUSSION OF SPECIES + + +The relative abundance of different species was estimated by +combining counts of individual fishes taken in 290 seine-hauls, 26 +hours and 15 minutes of shocking, and seven samples obtained with +rotenone. At some stations all seine-hauls were counted. At other +stations the seine-hauls in which complete counts were recorded had +been selected randomly in advance; that is to say, prior to +collecting at each station. I selected those hauls to be counted +from a table of random numbers (Snedecor, 1956:10-13). I did not use +the frequency-of-occurrence method as proposed by Starrett +(1950:114), in which the species taken and not the total number of +individuals are recorded for all seine-hauls. However, the frequency +of occurrence of each species is indicated by the number of stations +at which it was found, and those stations are listed in the previous +accounts. Table 3 shows the percentage of the total number of fish +that each species comprised in three kinds of streams: sandy (Big +Blue and Little Blue rivers), muddy, and gravelly streams. + +The habitat preferences of some species affect their abundance in +different stream-types. _Notropis lutrensis_ and _P. mirabilis_ +seemed almost ubiquitous. _Notropis deliciosus_ also occurred in all +kinds of streams (rarely in muddy streams); however, this species +was represented by the sand-loving _N. d. missuriensis_ in the Big +Blue and Little Blue rivers, and _N. d. deliciosus_ in the clear, +gravelly, upland creeks (Nelson, personal communication). Because of +its widespread occurrence, and for purposes of later discussion, I +refer to this minnow also as an ubiquitous species in the Big Blue +River Basin. + +_Carpiodes carpio_, _Cyprinus carpio_, _I. punctatus_, _I. melas_, +and _L. humilis_ were widespread, but each was absent or rare in +one of the kinds of streams (Table 3). _Carpiodes carpio_, _Cyprinus +carpio_, and _I. punctatus_ occurred most frequently in the sandy +streams, whereas _L. humilis_ was most common in muddy streams. The +high per cent of _I. melas_ in collections from the Big Blue River +is a direct result of one large population that was taken with +rotenone in a borrow-pit at Station 6-S. In my opinion, this species +actually was most abundant in the muddy streams. + + + TABLE 3. RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF FISHES IN PER CENT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER + TAKEN, BIG BLUE RIVER BASIN, KANSAS. TRACE (TR.) IS USED FOR VALUES + LESS THAN .05 PER CENT, AND DASHES SIGNIFY THAT THE SPECIES DID NOT + OCCUR IN THE COUNTED COLLECTIONS ALTHOUGH IT MAY HAVE OCCURRED IN + UNCOUNTED COLLECTIONS FROM THE SAME STREAM-TYPE. THREE SPECIES, + _C. AURATUS_, _N. BUCHANANI_, AND _S. CANADENSE_, WERE NOT TAKEN IN + COUNTED COLLECTIONS. + + ====================+=================+=========+========== + | Sandy streams | | + +--------+--------+ Muddy | Gravelly + SPECIES | Big | Little | streams | streams + | Blue | Blue | | + | River | River | | + --------------------+--------+--------+---------+---------- + _N. lutrensis_ | 43.5 | 55.9 | 27.6 | 56.0 + _I. punctatus_ | 14.0 | 7.0 | 1.2 | 4.2 + _Carpiodes carpio_ | 11.9 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 0.5 + _N. deliciosus_ | 8.2 | 28.2 | 3.1 | 11.1 + _I. melas_ | 2.5 | -- | 1.3 | 0.5 + _Cyprinus carpio_ | 2.3 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 0.2 + _P. olivaris_ | 1.8 | 0.8 | -- | -- + _L. humilis_ | 1.7 | -- | 9.0 | 5.1 + _I. bubalus_ | 1.4 | 0.1 | -- | Tr. + _P. mirabilis_ | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.3 + _H. nuchalis_ | 1.2 | -- | -- | Tr. + _P. promelas_ | 0.8 | 1.0 | 28.7 | 4.0 + _H. aestivalis_ | 0.7 | 0.2 | -- | -- + _A. grunniens_ | 0.5 | -- | -- | 0.2 + _L. osseus_ | 0.5 | 1.0 | -- | -- + _C. anomalum_ | 0.4 | 0.2 | 2.7 | 4.6 + _C. commersonnii_ | 0.4 | -- | -- | 0.7 + _D. cepedianum_ | 0.4 | Tr. | 0.1 | -- + _N. percobromus_ | 0.3 | -- | -- | -- + _P. annularis_ | 0.3 | Tr. | -- | -- + _N. flavus_ | 0.2 | 0.4 | -- | Tr. + _S. atromaculatus_ | 0.2 | 0.1 | 12.2 | 1.7 + _M. aureolum_ | 0.1 | 0.2 | -- | -- + _I. cyprinella_ | 0.1 | -- | 0.1 | -- + _P. notatus_ | 0.1 | -- | -- | 2.2 + _I. niger_ | 0.1 | 0.1 | -- | -- + _H. alosoides_ | 0.1 | -- | -- | -- + _E. spectabile_ | 0.1 | -- | 1.4 | 1.6 + _R. chrysops_ | 0.1 | -- | -- | -- + _L. cyanellus_ | 0.1 | -- | 3.5 | Tr. + _H. storeriana_ | Tr. | -- | -- | -- + _L. platostomus_ | Tr. | -- | -- | -- + _M. salmoides_ | Tr. | -- | -- | -- + _P. nigromaculatus_ | Tr. | -- | -- | -- + _I. natalis_ | Tr. | -- | 1.0 | Tr. + _N. umbratilis_ | Tr. | -- | -- | -- + _C. forbesi_ | Tr. | -- | -- | -- + _S. platorynchus_ | Tr. | -- | -- | -- + _F. kansae_ | -- | Tr. | -- | -- + _E. nigrum_ | Tr. | -- | 0.1 | 0.2 + _N. rubellus_ | -- | -- | -- | Tr. + _N. topeka_ | -- | -- | -- | 1.0 + _N. cornutus_ | -- | -- | -- | 1.0 + _C. erythrogaster_ | -- | -- | -- | 1.0 + _L. macrochirus_ | -- | -- | -- | 1.0 + --------------------+--------+--------+---------+---------- + + +Some fish were almost restricted to the sandy streams, apparently +because of preference for larger waters, or sandy stream-bottoms: +_P. olivaris_, _I. bubalus_, _H. nuchalis_, _H. aestivalis_, _A. +grunniens_, _L. osseus_, _D. cepedianum_, _N. percobromus_, _P. +annularis_, _N. flavus_, _M. aureolum_, _I. niger_, _H. alosiodes_, +and _R. chrysops_. Other species that were taken only in the larger +rivers, and that are sometimes associated with streams even larger +(or more sandy) than the Big Blue River are _H. storeriana_, _L. +platostomus_, _M. salmoides_, _P. nigromaculatus_, _C. forbesi_, _S. +platorynchus_, _F. kansae_, _N. buchanani_, _S. canadense_, and _C. +auratus_. _Ictiobus cyprinella_ also occurred more frequently in the +larger streams. + +The muddy-bottomed streams supported populations composed primarily +of _P. promelas_, _N. lutrensis_, and _S. atromaculatus_. No +species was restricted to this habitat, but the following were +characteristic there: _P. promelas_, _S. atromaculatus_, _L. +humilis_, _L. cyanellus_, and _I. natalis_. _Carpiodes carpio_, +_Cyprinus carpio_, _C. anomalum_, _E. spectabile_, and _E. nigrum_ +were locally common in muddy streams, but the first two were most +frequent in larger, sandy streams, and the last three in gravelly +streams. + +In gravel-bottomed, upland streams, _N. cornutus_, _N. rubellus_, +_N. topeka_, and _C. erythrogaster_ characteristically occurred; +with the exception of _N. rubellus_ (only one specimen taken), all +were common at some stations. Other species in gravelly creeks were +_N. lutrensis_, _C. anomalum_, _C. commersonnii_, _P. notatus_, _L. +macrochirus_, _E. spectabile_, and _E. nigrum_. Although the one +specimen of _N. umbratilis_ taken in this survey was from the Big +Blue River, this species is more characteristic of the clearer +creeks in Kansas. + +In order to illustrate the composition of the fauna in some specific +streams in the Big Blue River Basin, I segregated the fishes into +ecological groups, as in the above discussion: ubiquitous types; +species of larger, sandy streams; fishes of muddy streams; and +fishes of clear, gravelly creeks. + +The total number of species taken in each of the streams was +divided into the number of species from that stream that were in +each of these units, to give a percentage. The resultant data are +presented graphically in Figure 3. + + [Illustration: FIG. 3. Composition of the fauna of the entire + Big Blue River Basin, and of seven streams or stream systems + in that basin. "Mill Creek, Wash. Co." refers to all streams + in the Mill Creek System, Washington and Republic counties. + "Bl. Vermillion R. System" includes all streams in that + watershed excepting Clear Creek and one of its tributaries + (Stations 31-G and 32-G).] + + [Illustration: FIG. 4. Composition of the fauna of the Big Blue + River, and of five collecting-sites on Carnahan Creek, + Pottawatomie County. Lowermost sites are at the left of the + figure.] + +Figure 3 gives a generalized picture of the faunal composition in +different kinds of streams. However, the fauna of a small tributary +becomes more distinct from the fauna of the larger stream into which +the small stream flows as one moves toward the headwaters (Metcalf, +1957:92, 95-100). Figure 4 illustrates this in Carnahan Creek. +Station 11-G included four sampling-sites, which were approximately +one, two, three, and four miles upstream from the mouth of Carnahan +Creek. Station 13-G (one collection) was about four miles upstream +from the closest sampling-site of Station 11-G. Applying the same +methods as for Figure 3, my findings show a gradual decline in the per +cent of the fauna represented by the "large-river-fishes," and an +increase in the segment classified as "upland-fishes," from downstream +to upstream. + + + + +CREEL CENSUS + + +Fifty-three fishermen were interviewed in the 1957 creel census +period, and 152 in 1958. Only those fishermen using pole and line were +interviewed. In the area censused, much additional fishing is done +with set-lines, that are checked periodically by the owners. + +In the 1958 census, 22 checks along approximately 80 miles of river +were made, and seven of these trips were made without seeing one +fisherman. The average fishing pressure for the entire area was +estimated at one fisherman per 7.9 miles of stream, or one fisherman +per 15.7 miles of shoreline. + +Seven species of fish were identified from fishermen's creels in 1957 +and 1958. These, in order of abundance were: channel catfish; carp; +freshwater drum; flathead catfish; shovelnose sturgeon; smallmouth +buffalo; and river carpsucker. Shovelnose sturgeon occurred in +fishermen's creels only in April, 1957, and freshwater drum occurred +more frequently in the spring-census of 1957 than in the summer of +1958. + +Sixty-two of the fishermen interviewed in 1958 were fishing for +"anything they could catch," 68 were fishing specifically for catfish, +and 22 sought species other than catfish. The order of preference was +as follows: channel catfish, 21.1 per cent; flathead catfish, 15.1 per +cent; unspecified catfish, 12.5 per cent; carp, 9.2 per cent; +freshwater drum, 1.3 per cent; and unspecified, 40.8 per cent. The +kinds of fish desired by those fishermen checked in 1957 were not +ascertained. + +Of all fishermen checked in 1957 and 1958, 165 were men, 17 were +women, and 24 were children. Ninety-three per cent were fishing from +the bank, five per cent were fishing from bridges, and two per cent +were wading. All but two per cent of those checked were fishing +"tightline"; the remainder fished with a cork. + +The ten baits most commonly used, in order of frequency, were worms, +doughballs, minnows, liver, beef-spleen, chicken-entrails, coagulated +blood, crayfish, shrimp, and corn. + +For purposes of later comparison the data on angler success (Table 4) +have been divided according to areas: Area I, below Tuttle Creek Dam; +Area II, in the Tuttle Creek Reservoir area; and Area III, above the +reservoir. Areas I and III received the most fishing pressure, +especially Station 4-S (in Area I), and Station 56-S (in Area III). + +In Area I, the success ranged from 0.91 fish per fisherman-day in 1957 +to 0.26 fish per fisherman-day in 1958. The 1957 census was made in +April and May, when fishing in warm-water streams is considered better +than in July (Harrison, 1956:203). The 1958 census was from late June +through July, and stream-flow in this period was continuously above +normal. Therefore, fewer people fished the river, and catches were +irregular. Catches in 1958 ranged from 0.26 fish per fisherman-day in +Area I to 0.44 fish per fisherman-day in Area III. In 1951, in the +Republican River of Kansas and Nebraska, the average fisherman-day +yielded 0.36 fish, 0.09 fish per man-hour, and 0.06 fish per pole-hour +(U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1952:13-14). The average +fisherman-day in the Republican River study was 3.0 hours, whereas the +average on the Big Blue River was 2.2 hours for all areas in 1958 +(Table 4). + + + TABLE 4. ANGLING SUCCESS IN THE BIG BLUE RIVER, KANSAS, 1957 AND 1958. + + ================================================================= + AREA, YEAR, |Average |Number |Number |Number + AND NUMBER |length of |fish per |fish per|fish per + OF FISHERMEN |fisherman-day|fisherman-day|man-hour|pole-hour[A] + ---------------+-------------+-------------+--------+------------ + Area I, 1957 | 2.7 hours | 0.91 | 0.33 | 0.23 + 53 fishermen | | | | + Area I, 1958 | 2.5 hours | 0.26 | 0.10 | 0.07 + 84 fishermen | | | | + Area II, 1958 | 1.7 hours | 0.37 | 0.22 | 0.14 + 27 fishermen | | | | + Area III, 1958 | 2.4 hours | 0.44 | 0.16 | 0.11 + 41 fishermen | | | | + All areas, 1958| 2.2 hours | 0.33 | 0.14 | 0.09 + 152 fishermen| | | | + + [A] Fishermen used an average of 1.44 poles. + + +In the Big Blue River 47.7 per cent of all fishermen were successful in +Area I in 1957, while only 13.1 per cent were successful in the same +area in 1958 (Table 5). In the Republican River, 24 per cent of the +fishing parties were successful (1.64 persons per party) (U. S. Fish and +Wildlife Service, _loc. cit._). The average distance that each fisherman +had traveled to fish in the Big Blue River was 15.7 miles. Seventy-nine +per cent of the persons contacted lived within 25 miles of the spots +where they fished. In the study on the Republican River, 77 per cent of +the parties interviewed came less than 25 miles to fish. + + + TABLE 5. PER CENT OF TOTAL FISHERMEN SUCCESSFUL, AND DISTANCES + TRAVELLED TO FISH, BIG BLUE RIVER BASIN, KANSAS, 1957 AND 1958. + ALL DISTANCES WERE MEASURED IN AIRLINE MILES. + + ============================+=======+=======+=======+=======+====== + | 1957 | 1958 | 1958 | 1958 | 1958 + | Area | Area | Area | Area | All + | I | I | II | III | areas + ----------------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------ + Per cent of | 47.1 | 13.1 | 18.5 | 19.5 | 15.8 + fishermen successful | | | | | + | | | | | + Distances traveled to fish | 0-121 | 1-197 | 0-124 | 0-60 | 0-197 + (averages in parentheses) |(15.6) |(20.5) |(13.5) |(7.4) |(15.7) + ----------------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------- + + + + +RECOMMENDATIONS + + +My primary recommendation is for continued study of the Tuttle Creek +Reservoir, and the Big Blue River above and below the reservoir, to +trace changes in the fish population that result from impoundment. + +Probably the fishes that inhabit the backwaters, creek-mouths, and +borrow-pits in the Big Blue River Basin (gars, shad, carpsucker, +buffalo, carp, sunfishes, and white bass) will increase in abundance +as soon as Tuttle Creek Reservoir is formed. Also, as in eastern +Oklahoma reservoirs (see Finnell, _et al_., 1956:61-73), populations +of channel and flathead catfish should increase. Because of the +presence of brood-stock of the major sport-fishes of Kansas (channel +and flathead catfish, bullhead, bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, +and white bass), stocking of these species would be an economic waste: +exception might be made for the white bass. It may be above Tuttle +Creek Dam, but was not found there. + +I do recommend immediate introduction of walleye, and possibly +northern pike (_Esox lucius_ Linnaeus), the latter species having been +successfully stocked in Harlan County Reservoir, Nebraska, in recent +years (Mr. Donald D. Poole, personal communication). These two species +probably are native to Kansas, but may have been extirpated as +agricultural development progressed. Reservoirs may again provide +habitats suitable for these species in the State. + +If Tuttle Creek Reservoir follows the pattern found in most Oklahoma +reservoirs, large populations of "coarse fish"--fishes that are, +however, commercially desirable--will develop (Finnell, _et al._, +_loc. cit._). To utilize this resource, and possibly to help control +"coarse fish" populations for the betterment of sport-fishing, some +provision for commercial harvest should be made in the reservoir. + + + + +SUMMARY + + +1. The Big Blue River Basin in northeastern Kansas was studied between +March 30, 1957, and August 9, 1958. The objectives were to record the +species of fish present and their relative abundance in the stream, +and to obtain a measure of angling success prior to closure of Tuttle +Creek Dam. + +2. Fifty-nine stations were sampled one or more times, using seines, +hoop and fyke nets, wire traps, experimental gill nets, rotenone, and +an electric fish shocker. + +3. Forty-eight species of fish were obtained, and five others have +been recorded in literature or found in museums. One species, +_Carpiodes forbesi_, is recorded from Kansas for the first time. + +4. _Notropis lutrensis_ was the most abundant fish in the Big Blue +River Basin, followed by _Notropis deliciosus_ and _Ictalurus +punctatus_. The most abundant sport-fishes were _I. punctatus_, +_I. melas_, and _Pylodictis olivaris_, respectively. + +5. The spawning behavior of _Notropis lutrensis_ is described. + +6. A creel census at major points of access to the Big Blue River, was +taken in 1957 (below Tuttle Creek Dam) and in 1958 (above, in, and +below the dam-site). Fishing pressure averaged one fisherman per 15.7 +miles of shoreline. The average length of the fisherman-day averaged +2.2 hours, with an average of 0.33 fish per fisherman-day being caught +in 1958. The average number of fish per man-hour in 1958 was 0.14 and +15.8 per cent of the fishermen were successful. Distances traveled in +order to fish ranged from 0 to 197 miles (airline) and averaged 15.7 +miles. + +7. The primary recommendation is that studies be continued, to +document changes that result from impoundment. Because brood-stock of +the major sport-fishes is already present, stocking is unnecessary, +except for walleye and northern pike. Also, I recommend commercial +harvest of non-game food-fishes. + + + + +LITERATURE CITED + + +BAILEY, R. M. + + 1956. A revised list of fishes of Iowa, with keys for + identification. _In_ Iowa Fish and Fishing, by J. R. Harlan + and E. B. Speaker. Iowa State Cons. Comm., Des Moines, + pp. 325-377. + + +----, and CROSS, F. B. + + 1954. River sturgeons of the American genus _Scaphirhynchus_: + characters, distribution, and synonymy. Pap. Michigan Acad. + Sci., Arts, and Letters, 39 (1953): 169-208. + + +BREUKELMAN, J. + + 1940. A collection of Kansas fish in the State University + Museum. Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 43: 377-384. + + +BUCHHOLZ, M. + + 1957. Age and growth of river carpsucker in Des Moines River, + Iowa. Proc. Iowa Acad. Sci., 64: 589-600. + + +CANFIELD, H. L., and WIEBE, A. H. + + 1931. A cursory survey of the Blue River System of Nebraska. + U. S. Dept. Comm., Bur. of Fisheries, Econ. Circ. 73: 1-10. + + +COLBY, C., DILLINGHAM, H., ERICKSON, E., JENKS, G., JONES, J., and + SINCLAIR, R. + + 1956. The Kansas Basin, Pilot Study of a Watershed. Univ. of + Kansas Press, Lawrence, ix + 103 pp. + + +CRAGIN, F. W. + + 1885. Preliminary list of Kansas fishes. Bull. Washburn Lab. of + Nat. Hist., 1 (3):105-111. + + +CROSS, F. B. + + 1950. Effects of sewage and of a headwaters impoundment on the + fishes of Stillwater Creek in Payne County, Oklahoma. + Amer. Midl. Nat., 43 (1):128-145. + + 1954. Fishes of Cedar Creek and the South Fork of the + Cottonwood River, Chase County, Kansas. Trans. + Kansas Acad. Sci., 57 (3): 303-314. + + +EDDY, S., and SURBER, T. + + 1947. Northern Fishes, with Special Reference to the Upper + Mississippi Valley. Univ. of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, + xii + 276 pp. + + +EVERMANN, B. W., and COX, U. O. + + 1896. Report upon the fishes of the Missouri River Basin. + Appendix 5. Rept. U. S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries + for 1894. pp. 325-429. + + +FINNELL, J. C., and JENKINS, R. M. + + 1954. Growth of channel catfish in Oklahoma waters: 1954 + revision. Oklahoma Fish Res. Lab. Rept. 41: ii + 1-37. + + +----, JENKINS, R. M. and HALL, G. E. + + 1956. The fishery resources of the Little River System, + McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Oklahoma Fish. + Res. Lab. Rept. 55: ii + 1-82. + + +FLORA, S. D. + + 1948. Climate of Kansas. Rept. Kansas State Board of Agri., + 67 (285): xii + 1-320. + + +FORBES, S. A., and RICHARDSON, R. E. + + 1920. The Fishes of Illinois. Nat. Hist. Survey of Illinois. + Illinois Printing Co., Danville, cxxxi + 357 pp. + + +FRYE, J. C., and LEONARD, A. B. + + 1952. Pleistocene geology of Kansas. Kansas Geol. Survey, + Bull. 99: 1-230. + + +GILBERT, C. H. + + 1886. Third series of notes on the fishes of Kansas. Bull. + Washburn Lab. of Nat. Hist., 1 (6): 207-211. + + +GRAHAM, I. D. + + 1885. Preliminary list of Kansas fishes. Trans. + Kansas Acad. Sci., 9: 69-78. + + +HARRISON, H. M. + + 1956. Angling for channel catfish. _In_ Iowa Fish and Fishing, + by J. R. Harlan and E. B. Speaker. Iowa State Cons. Comm., + Des Moines. Pp. 202-212. + + +HUBBS, C. L. + + 1945. Corrected distributional records for Minnesota fishes. + Copeia, 1945 (1):13-22. + + +----, and ORTENBURGER, A. I. + + 1929. Further notes on the fishes of Oklahoma with descriptions + of new species of Cyprinidae. Pub. Univ. Oklahoma Biol. + Survey, 1 (2): 17-43. + + +----, and LAGLER, K. F. + + 1947. Fishes of the Great Lakes Region. Cranbrook Inst. of + Sci., Bull. 26: xi + 1-186. + + +----, and BAILEY, R. M. + + 1952. Identification of _Oxygeneum pulverulentum_ Forbes, from + Illinois, as a hybrid cyprinid fish. Pap. Michigan Acad. + Sci., Arts, and Letters, 37 (1951): 143-152. + + +JENNINGS, D. + + 1942. Kansas fish in the Kansas State College Museum at + Manhattan. Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 45: 363-366. + + +KANSAS WATER RESOURCES FACT-FINDING AND RESEARCH COMMITTEE. + + 1955. Water in Kansas. A Report to the Kansas State Legislature ... + Univ. of Kansas. 1-216 pp. + + +KINCER, J. B. + + 1941. Climate and weather data for the United States. _In_ + Climate and Man, Yearbook of Agri. for 1941. House Doc. 27. + pp. 685-699. + + +LAGLER, K. F. + + 1952. Freshwater Fishery Biology. Wm. C. Brown Co., Dubuque, + Iowa. x + 360 pp. + + +LUGN, A. L. + + 1935. The Pleistocene geology of Nebraska. Nebraska Geol. + Survey, Bull. 10, 2nd series: 1-223. + + +MARZOLF, R. C. + + 1955. Use of pectoral spines and vertebrae for determining age + and rate of growth of the channel catfish. Jour. Wildl. Mgmt., + 19 (2): 243-249. + + +MEEK, S. E. + + 1895. Notes on the fishes of western Iowa and eastern Nebraska. + Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 14 (1894): 133-138. + + +METCALF, A. L. + + 1957. Fishes of Chautauqua, Cowley and Elk counties, Kansas. + Univ. Kansas Publ., Mus. Nat. Hist., 11:345-400. + + +MINCKLEY, W. L., and CROSS, F. B. + + In press. Habitat, distribution, and abundance of _Notropis + topeka_ (Gilbert) in Kansas. Amer. Midl. Nat. + + +MONFORT, E. + + 1956. A layman looks at water. Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., + 59 (1):118-123. + + +MOORE, G. A. + + 1957. Fishes. _In_ Vertebrates of the United States, by W. + Blair, A. Blair, P. Brodkorb, F. Cagle, and G. Moore. + McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, N. Y. pp. 31-210. + + +MOORE, R. C., and LANDES, K. K. + + 1937. Geologic map of Kansas. Scale 1:500,000. Kansas Geol. + Survey. + + +NEBRASKA STATE PLANNING BOARD. + + 1936. Water resources of Nebraska. Mimeo. by Nebraska State + Planning Board. Lincoln, xxviii + 695 pp. + + +PFEIFFER, R. A. + + 1955. Studies on the life history of the rosyface shiner, + _Notropis rubellus_. Copeia, 1955 (2):95-104. + + +RANEY, E. C. + + 1947. Subspecies and breeding behavior of the cyprinid fish + _Notropis procne_ (Cope). Copeia, 1947 (2):103-109. + + +SCHOEWE, W. H. + + 1953. The geography of Kansas, Part III--concluded, + hydrogeography. Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 56 (2):131-190. + + +SNEDECOR, G. W. + + 1956. Statistical Methods. Iowa State College Press, Ames. + xiii + 534 pp. + + +STARRETT, W. C. + + 1950. Distribution of the fishes of Boone County, Iowa, with + special reference to the minnows and darters. Amer. Midl. + Nat., 43 (1): 112-127. + + +TRAUTMAN, M. B. + + 1957. The Fishes of Ohio. Waverly Press, Inc., Baltimore, Md. + xvii + 683 pp. + + +U. S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE. + + 1952. A one-year creel census and evaluation of the Republican + River, Nebraska and Kansas, 1951. Mimeo. by the Staff, + Missouri River Basin Studies, Billings, Mont. 29 pp., + Appendix. + + 1953. A preliminary report on fish and wildlife resources in + relation to the water development plan for the Tuttle Creek + Dam and Reservoir, Big Blue River, Missouri River Basin, + Kansas. Mimeo. by the Staff, Missouri River Basin Studies, + Billings, Mont. 25 pp. + + +VAN ORMAN, C. R. + + 1956. Surface water--its control and retention for use. Trans. + Kansas Acad. Sci., 59 (1):105-110. + + +WALTERS, K. L. + + 1954. Geology and ground-water resources of Marshall County, + Kansas. Kansas Geol. Survey, Bull. 106:1-116. + + +_Transmitted December 19, 1958._ + +[] + +27-7080 + + + + +UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS + +MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY + + +Institutional libraries interested in publications exchange may obtain +this series by addressing the Exchange Librarian, University of Kansas +Library, Lawrence, Kansas. Copies for individuals, persons working in +a particular field of study, may be obtained by addressing instead the +Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. +There is no provision for sale of this series by the University +Library which meets institutional requests, or by the Museum of +Natural History which meets the requests of individuals. However, when +individuals request copies from the Museum, 25 cents should be +included, for each separate number that is 100 pages or more in +length, for the purpose of defraying the costs of wrapping and +mailing. + + * An asterisk designates those numbers of which the Museum's supply + (not the Library's supply) is exhausted. Numbers published to date, + in this series, are as follows: + + Vol. 1. Nos. 1-26 and index. Pp. 1-638, 1946-1950. + + *Vol. 2. (Complete) Mammals of Washington. By Walter W. Dalquest. + Pp. 1-444, 140 figures in text. April 9, 1948. + + Vol. 3. *1. The avifauna of Micronesia, its origin, evolution, and + distribution. By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 1-359, 16 figures + in text. June 12, 1951. + + *2. A quantitative study of the nocturnal migration of birds. + By George H. Lowery, Jr. Pp. 361-472, 47 figures in text. + June 29, 1951. + + 3. Phylogeny of the waxwings and allied birds. By M. Dale + Arvey. Pp. 473-530, 49 figures in text, 13 tables. + October 10, 1951. + + 4. Birds from the state of Veracruz, Mexico. By George H. + Lowery, Jr., and Walter W. Dalquest. Pp. 531-649, + 7 figures in text, 2 tables. October 10, 1951. + + Index. Pp. 651-681. + + *Vol. 4. (Complete) American weasels. By E. Raymond Hall. Pp. 1-466, + 41 plates, 31 figures in text. December 27, 1951. + + Vol. 5. Nos. 1-37 and index. Pp. 1-676, 1951-1953. + + *Vol. 6. (Complete) Mammals of Utah, _taxonomy and distribution_. By + Stephen D. Durrant. Pp. 1-549, 91 figures in text, + 30 tables. August 10, 1952. + + Vol. 7. *1. Mammals of Kansas. By E. Lendell Cockrum. Pp. 1-303, + 73 figures in text, 37 tables. August 25, 1952. + + 2. Ecology of the opossum on a natural area in northeastern + Kansas. By Henry S. Fitch and Lewis L. Sandidge. + Pp. 305-338, 5 figures in text. August 24, 1953. + + 3. The silky pocket mice (Perognathus flavus) of Mexico. + By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 339-347, 1 figure in text. + February 15, 1954. + + 4. North American jumping mice (Genus Zapus). By Philip H. + Krutzsch. Pp. 349-472, 47 figures in text, 4 tables. + April 21, 1954. + + 5. Mammals from Southeastern Alaska. By Rollin H. Baker and + James S. Findley. Pp. 473-477. April 21, 1954. + + 6. Distribution of Some Nebraskan Mammals. By J. Knox + Jones, Jr. Pp. 479-487. April 21, 1954. + + 7. Subspeciation in the montane meadow mouse. Microtus + montanus, in Wyoming and Colorado. By Sydney Anderson. + Pp. 489-506, 2 figures in text. July 23, 1954. + + 8. A new subspecies of bat (Myotis velifer) from + southeastern California and Arizona. By Terry A. + Vaughan. Pp. 507-512. July 23, 1954. + + 9. Mammals of the San Gabriel mountains of California. + By Terry A. Vaughan. Pp. 513-582, 1 figure in text, + 12 tables. November 15, 1954. + + 10. A new bat (Genus Pipistrellus) from northeastern Mexico. + By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 583-586. November 15, 1954. + + 11. A new subspecies of pocket mouse from Kansas. By E. + Raymond Hall. Pp. 587-590. November 15, 1954. + + 12. Geographic variation in the pocket gopher, Cratogeomys + castanops, in Coahuila, Mexico. By Robert J. Russell + and Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 591-608. March 15, 1955. + + 13. A new cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) from + northeastern Mexico. By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 609-612. + April 8, 1955. + + 14. Taxonomy and distribution of some American shrews. + By James S. Findley, Pp. 613-618. June 10, 1955. + + 15. The pigmy woodrat, Neotoma goldmani, its distribution + and systematic position. By Dennis G. Rainey and Rollin + H. Baker. Pp. 619-624, 2 figures in text. June 10, 1955. + + Index. Pp. 625-651. + + Vol. 8. 1. Life history and ecology of the five-lined skink, + Eumeces fasciatus. By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 1-156, 26 figs. + in text. September 1, 1954. + + 2. Myology and serology of the Avian Family Fringillidae, a + taxonomic study. By William B. Stallcup. Pp. 157-211, + 23 figures in text, 4 tables. November 15, 1954. + + 3. An ecological study of the collared lizard (Crotaphytus + collaris). By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 213-274, 10 figures in + text. February 10, 1956. + + 4. A field study of the Kansas ant-eating frog, Gastrophryne + olivacea. By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 275-306, 9 figures in + text. February 10, 1956. + + 5. Check-list of the birds of Kansas. By Harrison B. + Tordoff. Pp. 307-359, 1 figure in text. March 10, 1956. + + 6. A population study of the prairie vole (Microtus + ochrogaster) in northeastern Kansas. By Edwin P. Martin. + Pp. 361-416, 19 figures in text. April 2, 1956. + + 7. Temperature responses in free-living amphibians and + reptiles of northeastern Kansas. By Henry S. Fitch. + Pp. 417-476, 10 figures in text, 6 tables. June 1, 1956. + + 8. Food of the crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos Brehm, in + south-central Kansas. By Dwight Platt. Pp. 477-498, + 4 tables. June 8, 1956. + + 9. Ecological observations on the woodrat Neotoma + floridana. By Henry S. Fitch and Dennis G. Rainey. + Pp. 499-533, 3 figures in text. June 12, 1956. + + 10. Eastern woodrat, Neotoma floridana; Life history and + ecology. By Dennis G. Rainey. Pp. 585-646, 12 plates, + 13 figures in text. August 15, 1956. + + Index. Pp. 647-675. + + Vol. 9. 1. Speciation of the wandering shrew. By James S. Findley. + Pp. 1-68, 18 figures in text. December 10, 1955. + + 2. Additional records and extensions of ranges of mammals + from Utah. By Stephen D. Durrant, M. Raymond Lee, and + Richard M. Hansen. Pp. 69-80. December 10, 1955. + + 3. A new long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis) from northeastern + Mexico. By Rollin H. Baker and Howard J. Stains. + Pp. 81-84. December 10, 1955. + + 4. Subspeciation in the meadow mouse, Microtus + pennsylvanicus, in Wyoming. By Sydney Anderson. + Pp. 85-104, 2 figures in text. May 10, 1956. + + 5. The condylarth genus Ellipsodon. By Robert W. Wilson. + Pp. 105-116, 6 figures in text. May 19, 1956. + + 6. Additional remains of the multituberculate genus + Eucosmodon. By Robert W. Wilson. Pp. 117-123, 10 figures + in text. May 19, 1956. + + 7. Mammals of Coahuila, Mexico. By Rollin H. Baker. + Pp. 125-335, 75 figures in text. June 15, 1956. + + 8. Comments on the taxonomic status of Apodemus peninsulae, + with description of a new subspecies from North China. + By J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 337-346, 1 figure in text, + 1 table. August 15, 1956. + + 9. Extensions of known ranges of Mexican bats. By Sydney + Anderson. Pp. 347-351. August 15, 1956. + + 10. A new bat (Genus Leptonycteris) from Coahuila. By Howard + J. Stains. Pp. 353-356. January 21, 1957. + + 11. A new species of pocket gopher (Genus Pappogeomys) from + Jalisco, Mexico. By Robert J. Russell. Pp. 357-361. + January 21, 1957. + + 12. Geographic variation in the pocket gopher, Thomomys + bottae, in Colorado. By Phillip M. Youngman. Pp. 363-387, + 7 figures in text. February 21, 1958. + + 13. New bog lemming (genus Synaptomys) from Nebraska. By J. + Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 385-388. May 12, 1958. + + 14. Pleistocene bats from San Josecito Cave, Nuevo Leon, + Mexico. By J. Knox Jones, Jr. Pp. 389-396. December 19, + 1958. + + 15. New subspecies of the rodent Baiomys from Central + America. By Robert L. Packard. Pp. 397-404. December 19, + 1958. + + More numbers will appear in volume 9. + + Vol. 10. 1. Studies of birds killed in nocturnal migration. By + Harrison B. Tordoff and Robert M. Mengel. Pp. 1-44, + 6 figures in text, 2 tables. September 12, 1956. + + 2. Comparative breeding behavior of Ammospiza caudacuta and + A. maritima. By Glen E. Woolfenden. Pp. 45-75, 6 plates, + 1 figure. December 20, 1956. + + 3. The forest habitat of the University of Kansas Natural + History Reservation. By Henry S. Fitch and Ronald R. + McGregor. Pp. 77-127, 2 plates, 7 figures in text, + 4 tables. December 31, 1956. + + 4. Aspects of reproduction and development in the prairie + vole (Microtus ochrogaster). By Henry S. Fitch. + Pp. 129-161, 8 figures in text, 4 tables. December 19, + 1957. + + 5. Birds found on the Arctic slope of northern Alaska. + By James W. Bee. Pp. 163-211, pls. 9-10, 1 figure in + text, March 12, 1958. + + 6. The wood rats of Colorado: distribution and ecology. + By Robert B. Finley, Jr. Pp. 213-552, 34 plates, + 8 figures in text, 35 tables. November 7, 1958. + + More numbers will appear in volume 10. + + Vol. 11. 1. The systematic status of the colubrid snake, Leptodeira + discolor Guenther. By William E. Duellman. Pp. 1-9, + 4 figs. July 14, 1958. + + 2. Natural history of the six-lined racerunner, + Cnemidophorus sexlineatus. By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 11-62, + 9 figs., 9 tables. September 19, 1958. + + 3. Home ranges, territories, and seasonal movements of + vertebrates of the Natural History Reservation. + By Henry S. Fitch. Pp. 63-326, 6 plates, 24 figures in + text, 3 tables. December 12, 1958. + + 4. A new snake of the genus Geophis from Chihuahua, Mexico. + By John M. Legler. Pp. 327-334, January 28, 1959. + + 5. A new tortoise, genus Gopherus, from north-central + Mexico. By John M. Legler. Pp. 335-343, April 24, 1959. + + 6. Fishes of Chautauqua, Cowley and Elk counties, Kansas. + By Artie L. Metcalf. Pp. 345-400, 2 plates, 2 figures in + text, 10 tables. May 6, 1959. + + 7. Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin, Kansas. By W. L. + Minckley. Pp. 401-442, 2 plates, 4 figures in text, + 5 tables. May 8, 1959. + + More numbers will appear in volume 11. + + + + +Transcriber's Notes + + +Except as noted below, the text presented herein is that contained in +the original printed version. Minor corrections (such as missing +punctuation) may have been corrected. The original version had a +list of publications printed inside the cover and inside and on the +back cover. The cover page was not retained as it is a copy of the +first page and the list inside the cover was moved past the end of the +article. + + +Notations + +The greek letter sigma is represented as [sigma]. And [=X] indicates +letter X with a line above it which is a standard notation for mean. + + +Typographical Corrections + + Page Correction + ==== ================================= + 408 Phenophthalein => Phenolphthalein + + +Text Emphasis + + _Text_ : Italics + + =Text= : Bold and Italics + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Fishes of the Big Blue River Basin, +Kansas, by W. L. 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