SUCKERS, soft-rayed teleostomous fishes of the genus Catostomus and related genera be longing to the family Catostomidce (q.v.). The i family is extremely characteristic of the fresh waters of North America, where all but two of the 60 or more species are found, replacing in our fauna the carps of the Old World. The 14 recognized genera include, besides the suckers proper, the blackhorse and redhorse, the buffalo fish, the jumping mullet and the white mullet. Many of these fishes exhibit migratory habits recalling the anadromous marine fishes, mov ing regularly in the spring from ponds and lakes into the fresher waters of brooks to spawn. As examples of this large group the following may be selected: The common or white sucker (Catostomus teres or C. com mersonii) reaches a length of 15 to 18 inches, has thick protusible lips with two or three rows of papilla, about 65 scales along the lateral line and a rather short dorsal fin. The color is dusky above, light olivaceous on the side, tinged in the spring with rosy hues. This species is exceedingly common in rivers, mill-dams, ponds, etc., throughout the entire eastern half of the United States. Early in the spring, as soon as the ice is out of the streams, this species leaves the larger bodies of water and deep holes and seeks the swift-running brooks, up which large schools migrate until stopped by some obstruc tion, to deposit their spawn in the upper stony shallows. At this season they take the hook
eagerly, especially when baited with earth worms; but they are listless, lazy fishes and never afford any real sport nor good eating, except for a short time in early spring. In the summer they are soft and tasteless. Many are captured in small nets at sluiceways, etc., or even in the hands by boys who wade in the streams and feel for them under overhanging banks. Hog-sucker, stone-roller (C. nigricans) are some of the names of a considerably larger species, with larger scales, found plentifully in the lakes and clear swift streams of much the same region. Its habits are similar and favorite methods of capture are spearing and noosing with fine copper wire or Other related species are the carp-sucker or sail-fish (Ictiobus velifer) of the Mississippi Valley, the carp-sucker of the Susquehanna River (1 cyprinus), the chub-sucker (Erimyzon sucetta) and the striped sucker (Minytremo melanops) of the Great Lakes and-Mississippi Valley. Consult Goode, 'American Fishes' (New York 1888).