HABITS OF THE BLACK CRAPPIE. 15 
feeds on or near the bottom; the crappie finds its food among the 
shore vegetation or in the open lake; (8) the perch fasts more or 
less during the hot weather and while spawning; the crappie ap- 
parently eats throughout the summer, but takes little or no food dur- 
ing the winter; (4) the crappie spawns later in the season, when 
the water is warmer; (5) the perch has many parasites; the crappie, 
few. 
The crappie is better suited to shallow lakes than the perch, be- 
cause its normal activities are not interfered with by high tempera- 
tures, and it is thus able to breed and feed when food is most abun- 
dant. Its habits of feeding at twilight or during the night help in 
avoiding the unfavorable conditions associated with the warmth of 
midsummer. Its greater immunity to parasitic infections also en- 
ables it to live in the shore vegetation with less danger. 
VII. SUMMARY. 
1. This paper attempts to compare the habits of the black crappie 
with those of the perch, with the purpose of ascertaining why the 
former is better suited to shallow lakes and the latter to deep lakes. 
2. The food of the crappie consists chiefly of insects, particularly 
immature stages, entomostracans, amphipods, and fishes. 
3. In spring amphipods and entomostracans are the chief items in 
the dietary. During the warmer months crappies feed largely on in- 
sect larve, pupe, and adults, and on cladocerans. In winter adult 
crappies take little or no food in Wisconsin lakes. 
4. Feeding is most active at night, or in early morning and evening. 
5. Young crappies feed for the most part on copepods, cladocerans, 
insect larvee, and amphipods. During their first season they increase 
rapidly in size until the temperature of the water falls to about 4° C., 
but grow very little during the winter. 
6. The rate of digestion in the crappie is about the same as in the 
perch, but less food is eaten at a time and feeding is more deliberate. 
7. In southern Wisconsin lakes crappies spawn after the water 
temperature has reached 19 to 20° C., or more; while the perch 
spawn earlier, when the temperature is 8 to 9° C. 
8. During the winter crappies remain in deep water and are com- 
paratively inactive. In spring they come inshore and remain in 
shallow water throughout the summer. 
9. Crappies have few parasites when compared with perch. 
10. Though perch are more abundant than crappies in the shallow 
lake investigated, they do not attain large sizes. Crappies are large, 
and, considering their larger sizes, relatively abundant. 
11. Crappies are better suited to shallow lakes than perch, because : 
(1) They can better endure high temperatures; (2) their feeding 
habits enable them to secure food more easily; and (3) they are less 
subject to infection by parasites. 
VIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY. 
Forbes, 8. A., and Richardson, R. E. 
1908. The Fishes of Illinois. Illinois State Laboratory of Natural His- 
tory, 3; cxxx1I+357. 
Johnson, R. 8., and Stapleton, M. F. 
1915. Fish Ponds on Farms. Appendix 2, Report, U. S. Commissioner of 
Fisheries, 5-28. 
