3?.4 SEVENTH REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



belonging to Joseph Schlosser, there are myriads of Crappies as well as other game 

 fishes. 



Prof. S. A. Forbes has studied the feeding habits of the Crappie, and finds that 

 the young live chiefly on eatomostraca and small insect larva:. The adults subsist 

 on the same food when obtainable, but in times of scarcity they feed to some extent 

 on other fishes. Small Minnows and Darters have been found in their stomachs. 

 In the autumn Prof. Forbes has found a larger percentage of small fishes, sometimes 

 constituting nearly two-fifths of their food. The Hellgramite is eaten by the 

 Crappie. In cold weather it does not consume one-fourth the amount of food 

 which it takes in the early spring. The Crappie prefers still waters, thriving even in 

 warm and muddy water, and has been taken in large numbers in midsummer at 

 depths of only a few feet ; in cold weather it retires to deeper water, becomes rather 

 sluggish and takes little food. Dr. Henshall states that the Crappie is found about 

 dains and in deep, still parts of streams and ponds, especially about logs, brush and 

 drift. 



The Crappie is a very free biter and can be caught readily with Minnows or 

 worms. Spoon bait has been successfully used in trolling for this species. It is 

 recorded that two men have taken a thousand Crappies in three days' fishing with 

 hook and line. As the fish is gregarious, congregating in large schools, and fearless, 

 it can be taken in the immense numbers given. The best bait for Crappie is a small 

 Shiner. It rises well also to the artificial fly. As a food fish this is one of the best 

 in our inland waters, and its adaptability for life in artificial ponds should make it a 

 favorite with fish culturists. 



98. Calico Bass ; Strawberry Bass {Poiiwxis sparoidcs Lacdpede). 



Pomoxys sparoides Jordan & Gilbert, Bull. 16, U. S. Nat. Mus., 465, 1883; Bean, 



Fishes Penna., 102, color pi. 9, 1803. 

 Poinoxis sparoides Meek, Ann. N. Y. .\c. Sci., IV, 312, 1888; Bollman, Rept. U. S. F. 



C, XVI. 559, pi. 68, fig. 2, 1892; Jordan & Evermann, Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. Mus., 



987, 1896, pi. CLIV, fig. 416, 1900. 



The sides are olivaceous with sih-ery reflections and mottletl with pale green. 

 The dorsal, anal and caudal show pale spots surrounded by green reticulations. 



The Calico Bass, on account of its wide distribution and variability, has received 

 a profusion of names. Many of these are variations of the term bass. It is 

 known, for example, as Strawberry Bass, Grass Bass, Lake Bass, Lake Erie Bass, 

 Bank Lake Bass, Silver Bass, and Big-fin Bass. Other names for the species are 

 Strawberry Perch, Chinquapin Perch, Goggle-eye Perch, Silver Perch and Sand 



