78 FISHES AND FISHING IN SUNAPEE LAKE. 



they were so near shore that their backs were nearly out of water. 

 There were some rather quick movements made by those in quick 

 water, but evidently for the purpose of maintaining their position 

 where they were swinging from side to side but not going forward, 

 sometimes, however, turning and running down or to one side a 

 short distance. But those in the still water lay comparatively quiet, 

 some of them actually resting on the bottom, but they all moved 

 about to a slight degree. 



On the night of April 19 further observations were made on the 

 smelts that fairly swarmed in Pike Brook. They did not seem to 

 be disturbed by lantern light but, of course, it is possible that their 

 movements may have been more or less modified by it. No very 

 peculiar movements were observed. There appeared to be no pair- 

 ing, each fish lying by itself, quietly on the bottom, slightly on its 

 side in a sort of curve. Sometimes one would lie near another and 

 occasionally one would dart forward under the edge of a partly 

 submerged sod. 



During the day of the 20th the smelts were all in pools, usually 

 stationary with heads j)ointed upstream, occasionally swimming a 

 little and now and then turning to one side or downstream. 



During the day of the 22d a fair-sized school was seen in the pool 

 by the hatchery, but there was none in the deep pool where they 

 were caught with hook. There were three or four "scattering" 

 smelts in other places. In the night the fish were scattered mostly 

 in shallow and quick water. Some that were probably spawning 

 were observed. There was one group of 8 or 10 or more individuals 

 side by side and before and behind, in rather quick water, neither 

 going forward or backward, but swinging back and forth A\dth the 

 current like a bunch of moss, those ahead with a slighter motion 

 than those farther behind. A few others in pairs, or single, were in 

 stiller, shallow water apparently spawning, moving about shghtly 

 but usually with head upstream. There was some current here. 

 They seemed to some extent to lie on their sides, and they moved up 

 into shallower water until their noses were out of water on the 

 gravel. One fish got on top of a stone with half of its body out of 

 water and stayed there some time without seeming to mind it. There 

 seemed to be no contact of bodies except apparently accidentally or 

 incident to the swinging or waving in the current. On the other side 

 of the brook on a rather steep slope of sand and clay bank in shallow 

 water, quite a number were seen likewise stationary. Then- move- 

 ments were similar to the others just previously mentioned. No 

 lantern was used in watching the first two lots mentioned. Wliile 

 the smelts mentioned remained stationary, many others were shoot- 

 ing \\\), over, and among them on their way up the brook. 



