NATURAL HISTORY OF AMIA OALVA LINNAEUS. 



69 



in the preceding season. It measured about thirty metres by two hundred, and 

 was open to the pond at one end. The net was placed about thirty metres from 

 the open end, so that there was left behind it an enclosure thirty metres wide and one 

 hundred and seventy metres long. The net was so placed as to catch any fish 

 attempting to enter the bay, while at the same time it prevented fish placed behind 

 the net from escaping into the pond. 



The numbers of Amias taken in the net in the season of 1898 are given in Table II. 



TABLE II. 



These fish were confined in crates until April 20. At that time all but thirteen 

 of them were released and the net was removed. But one nest had then been 

 found on the spawning ground and no eggs had been laid, so that the spawning 

 season had scarcely begun. During the spawning season of 1898 about twenty- 

 four nests were found in this bay. 



In the season of 1900 an experiment was made to learn whether males placed 

 in an enclosure at the natural spawning ground would build nests in the absence 

 of females. The bay was carefully searched on April 18, five days before any 

 attempt at nest-building was noted, and no Amia was found in it. From what has 

 already been said of the habits of the fish it is possible that some adult fish may 

 have remained hidden in the bottom vegetation. The fyke net was then set and 

 care was taken that its wings should reach the bottom throughout their length 

 and that they should extend to dry land at both ends. The net remained in place 

 until May 20, that is, until nest-building had ceased. The results are shown in 

 Table III, in which the spawning season is divided into four nearly equal parts. 



TABLE III. 



