Dec, 1921 



FOOD or OHIO DARTERS 



49 



Summary of Food Habits in Boleosoma nigrum. 



1. Entomostraca and minute midge larvae constitute the 

 chief food of the young. 2. Midge larvae of larger size and may 

 fly larvae gradually supplant the entomostraca as the fish increase 

 in size. 3. Organic and inorganic debris forms an important 

 food item in fishes of all ages. 4. Lake and stream habitats do 

 not affect the food habits differentially. 



D. Cottogaster copelandi Jordan. 



Members of this species were taken only from the Bass 

 Island region of Lake Erie where it was the most universally dis- 

 tributed of all the darters. The .food habits resemble those of 

 some of the minnows in that a large amount of vegetable 

 material and silt enter into the food. Midge larvce and may fly 

 larvae are most commonly taken, but single specimens have 

 been taken whose stomachs were entirely filled with debris 

 and algae. Another distinctive point is the negligible quantity of 

 entomostraca occurring in the food. This fact, together with 

 the fact also that ostracoda occur frequently, points toward a 

 strict bottom feeding habit. It is also notable that there is little 

 difference in the diet of younger and more mature fish. 



TABLE 8. 

 Food of Cottogaster copelandi. 



