THE FOOD AND GAME FISHES OF NEW YORK. 



275 



The horned pout are "dull and blundering fellows," fond of the mud, and grow- 

 ing best in weedy ponds and rivers without current. They stay near the bottom, 

 moving slowly about with their barbels widely spread, watching for anything eat- 

 able. They will take any kind of bait, from an angleworm to a piece of tin tomato 

 can, without coquetry, and they seldom fail to swallow the hook. They are very 

 tenacious of life, " opening and shutting their mouths for half an hour after their 

 heads have been cut off." They spawn in spring, and the old fishes lead the young 

 in great schools near the shore, seemingly caring for them as a hen for her chickens. 



The species was obtained in Swan River at Patchogue, N. Y., August 12, 1898. 

 Young were seined in Bronx River in August. Larger individuals were sent from 

 Canandaigua Lake and Saranac Lake in November. Several albinos were obtained 

 from the Hackensack Meadows, N. J., in August, 1897. In three months they 

 grew from 3 inches to 6 inches in length. In captivity the fish feed freely on 

 chopped hard clams and earthworms and, occasionally, liver. 



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^i\\; 





HORNED POUT. 



The following notes are from Eugene Smith, in Proc. Linn. Soc. N. Y., 1897, 

 p. 1 1-12. 



Very variable in color, from blackish and olive to brown and yellowish above, 

 becoming lighter below, and often clouded on the sides. Those from tidal or run- 

 ning water are lighter colored than those from stagnant places or ponds. The 

 largest specimen found by me in the near vicinity of New York measured 13^ 

 inches in length and weighed i pound 2 ounces. 



At the end of the third year this fish is perhaps fully matured. The ripe eggs are 

 of the size of large pin heads, and are of an orange color ; the very young fishes 

 look like little black toad tadpoles. The spines are strongly developed at an early 

 age. The old fish accompanies the brood for a certain time, always swimming 

 around the swarm of young in order to keep them together. When alarmed the 

 parent dashes off, followed b\' the whole swarm. 



