LAMPREYS AND FISHES 



eyes, which is the case in the large-mouthed species. Bass 

 move into the shallow waters to breed, usually selecting regions 

 where there are rocks or stumps around which the nests may 

 be hidden. In May or June, sometimes much earlier, the male 

 makes a basin on the bottom by fanning away the sand with 

 his tail until he reaches the mud three or four inches below. 

 Two or three females gather near and when the nest is finished 

 the male seeks out one of them, biting her cheeks and cajoling 

 her until she enters the nest area. When the eggs and sperm 

 are being shed the female lies on her side and the male is up- 

 right beside her. This process lasts but a few seconds at a 

 time but a female may stay within the nest for an hour or 

 two. The male may mate with two or three females but 

 he continually guards the nest and the eggs until they are 

 hatched. He not only tends the nest but guards the small 

 fry as long as they stay in it and swims about with them 

 afterward. 



Size. — Up to 12 or 15 inches. 



Distribution. — The small-mouthed bass is found widely dis- 

 tributed from the St. Lawrence River region to Arkansas, 

 and southward, living in cool streams not cold enough for 

 brook trout. 



Fig. 281. — 'Common perch, Perca flavescens. 



Perches and Darters — Percidcs 



In the perch family are the yellow perch, the wall-eyed pike, 

 and a large number of dwarf perches or darters which live in 



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