134 The Ohio Journal of Science [Vol. XVI, No. 4, 



eastern side, where there was a distance of four feet between the 

 two zones. The zone of large nests began ten feet from shore, 

 whereas the small nest zone ended six feet from the water's 

 edge. I have no data at hand that afford an entirely satis- 

 factory explanation of this separation. The position of the 

 small nests along the edge of the water is hardly favorable 

 for the hatching of eggs since the constant fluctuation in water 

 level frequently causes some of the nests to be uncovered. 

 Occasionally they are exposed long enough to destroy the eggs. 

 The fish guarding the small nests were not as large as those 

 on the larger nests and it is possible that they were unequal 

 to the task of forming nests in the deeper sand farther from 

 shore. It is possible also that they sought the shallow water 

 to escape enemies. However, I saw nothing to indicate that 

 they were forced to this location by the larger individuals. 



A condition of considerable importance from the stand- 

 point of the cove as a breeding place is that it is being con- 

 taminated with sewage. Since an open sandy bottom is 

 apparently such an important factor in nesting conditions 

 its obliteration is certain to have harmful results. To a certain 

 extent the sewage is having this effect. It is being deposited 

 over the inner end of the cove and especially over that part 

 about the mouth of the sewage canal. However the direct 

 effects of the sewage deposit are probably not as great as are 

 its indirect effects. The latter are brought to bear through 

 the fertilizing action of the sewage upon the plants that take 

 possession of the bottom. The growth of the plants in the 

 cove is luxuriant even for a region in which aquatic plants are 

 abundant. The sewage also has a harmful influence through 

 its vitiating effect upon the water. The situation is such that 

 this effect is confined mainly to the western side, and probably 

 as yet, it is no great factor even here, since patches of sand 

 within the contaminated are occupied, as for example at a. 

 Nevertheless the results are disastrous where the sewage 

 concentration is great, as it is near the mouth of the canal. 

 Its influence here may be estimated from the fact that some 

 carp kept in a "live box" near the mouth of the canal died; 

 and carp are not usually credited with seeking the purest water. 

 If the sewage continues to be emptied into the cove, as it 

 doubtless will be, a marked influence upon the fish visiting the 

 locality will probably be noticeable within a few years. 



Ohio State University, Columlnis. 



