205 



Botli kinds of black 1)hss may be found in the same body of 

 water. The character of the bottoms over which they are fouud^ 

 liowever, differs. Tlie small- 

 mouthed prefers the stony 

 bars or shoals. The lai-ge- 

 mouthed, on the contrary, se- 

 lects a muddy bottom grown 

 over with reeds. They feed 

 upon crayfish ("crabs"), min- 

 nows, frogs, worms, tadpoles 

 and insects. Our black basses 

 are very queer parents. They 

 prepare a nest in which tlie '^^^•- Adult hmall-mouthed Black Bern, 



eggs are deposited. Both male and female are very courageous in 

 the defense of their eggs and young. As soon as the young fishes 

 are able to take care of themselves the" parent tishes leave them, 

 and after that time may even feed upon their own children. 



The Stickleback. 



The sticklebacks are queer little fellows, indeed (Fig. 109). The 



slender body, extremely narrow tail and the sharp, free spines in 



. _._ .. __. front of the 



dorsal tin, give 

 „ them at once 

 T^ the appear- 

 ance of both 

 an active and 

 a pugnacious 

 little creature. 

 The stickle- 

 backs are detrimental to the increase of other fishes, since they 

 greedily destroy the spawn and young of all fishes that come within 

 their reach. They build nests about two inches in diameter, with a 

 hole in the top. After the eggs are laid the male defends the nest 

 with great bravery. . The little five-spined brook stickleback in the 

 Cayuga Lake Basin, ]^. Y., is most commonly found in stagnant 

 pools, shaded by trees, where the water is filled with decaying veg- 

 20 305 



109. — A Stickleback. 



