FISHES OF NEW YORK 489 



which it has been introduced. The fish is not uncommon in Lake 

 Champlain; it is abundant in the vicinity of Caledonia N. Y. 

 Eugene Smith records it from the Passaic river. The writer has 

 found it abundant in the Bronx. Mearns mentions it from Long 

 pond, in the Hudson Highlands, where it reaches the weight of 

 5 or 6 pounds. 



This bass does not grow so large as the large mouthed, seldom 

 exceeding 8 pounds in weight and averaging but 2^ pounds. A 

 fish of the latter weight will measure 15 inches in length, while 

 one of 8 pounds wiW measure 2 feet. 



The food of the black bass consists of crawfish, frogs, insects 



and their larvae, minnows and other aquatic animals of suitable 



size. The young can be fed on small fresh-water crustaceans, 



such as Daphnia and Cyclops. Among the successful baits for 



this species are stone catfish, hellgramites and crickets. 



The black bass prefers rapid water, is extremely active, and 

 frequents clear, pure, swiftly flowing streams, and thrives at 

 greater elevations than those preferred by the large mouthed 

 species. It hibernates in the winter and spawns in the shallows 

 on gravelly bottoms in spring. It follows its prey into shallow 

 water and frequently leaps far out of the water in its efforts 

 to escape from the hook or when frightened by the sudden 

 approach of an enemy. It swims in schools and is often found 

 in the shelter of sunken logs and in the vicinity of large rocks. 



The spawning season begins in March and ends in July. The 

 period of incubation lasts from seven to 14 days. The eggs are 

 bound together in bands or ribbons by an adhesive substance. 

 They adhere to stones on which they are deposited. The parent 

 fish build nests and protect the eggs and young. In the Dela- 

 ware the current is more rapid and the temperature lower than 

 in the Susquehanna; hence the bass spawn earlier in the latter 

 than in the former. The spawning fish have nearly all left 

 their spawning beds in the Susquehanna early in July, but at 

 this time most of the nests in the Delaware are still full of eggs. 

 By some writers it is believed that the female prepares the 

 nest before the male joins her. The males fight for the 



