mm. deep and 300 mm. wide, and is often among reeds. The male 

 elevates his gill covers to display their brilliant colors when trying 

 to induce a female to enter the nest. Over the nest the pair circle 

 and spawn. This same pose is also assumed by the male in driving 

 off rivals. He defends the eggs and spawn until the young can care 

 for themselves. Nesting is in June. 



Fooil. Chiefly snails and small crustaceans. Dried shrimp with 

 a couple of meals a week of snails, sieved clam, or similar living 

 food constitutes a good aquarium diet. 



The Pumpkinseed is a hardy little pond jewel. To the small boy 

 its luster is not dimmed by its willingness to take a hook or by its 

 numbers. Its hardiness makes it equallv good for controlling mos- 

 quitoes in small ponds or for brightening up an aquarium. It is 

 another of our fishes that has been used to stock European ponds. 

 Although it is not inclined to uproot aquarium plants, small speci- 

 mens are the most desirable. 



THE PERCHES 



(Percidae) 



The perches are more or less compressed, small-scaled fishes, some 

 of which are large enough to be used as food. All are carnivorous. 



Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) 



Appearance. The yellow perch is too familiar as a market fish to 

 require much description. The compressed body is rather high in 

 the region of the dorsal fin. The rather small head is dished in 

 above the eyes. The second dorsal fin is just behind the first one 

 and is fairly large. The back is either a brassy green, shading off to 

 yellow along the sides, or a pale greenish yellow. On och side 



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