Even young fish live alone. As a Billfish 50 mm. long may contain 

 fifteen or so tiny minnows it is no wonder that no gar will trust 

 his brother. The habit of this species of basking motionless near 

 the surface of some shallow bay apparently is as deceptive to other 

 fishes as to man, for it can move at great speed and shows wolf- 

 like ferocity when it sights its prey. 



During warm weather a gar frequently comes to the surface to 

 stick out its bill in order to renew the air in its swim bladder. This 

 act is accompanied by an audible snapping of the bill. During cold 

 weather this habit is discontinued. 



Shortnose Gar (Lepisosfens productus) 



Appearance. Body long, slender, greenish above, white below, the 

 back fins spotted with black. The beak is almost one-seventh the 

 total length. 



Size. 600-900 mm. long. 



Habitat. Lakes of the two southern tiers of counties in Mich- 

 igan. 



Breeding Habits. This species, too, spawns in weedy shallows 

 in June. 



Food. Any animal it can swallow, especially fishes. 



The habits of this species are much like those of the Longnose 

 Gar, and it is quite voracious. 



THE BOWFINS 



(Amiidae) 



The bowfins are cylindrical fishes with bulldog heads and stubby 

 tails. They have a dark spot near the top of the tail base which 

 is especially conspicuous in the males and serves as a mark of 

 identification. The vertebrae run part way along the top margin 

 of the tail. The dorsal fin runs almost the entire length of the body. 

 Like the species of the preceding familv, they are living fossils, 

 most of whose relatives adorn ancient fossil beds. They feed on 

 crayfish and fish, chiefly at night. 



