116 Fish and Game Warden. [Bull. No. 1. 



stand at an angle of about 45 degrees (sometimes almost per- 

 pendicular) and vigorously lash its caudal or tail fin over the 

 nest that was being built. The dirt and particles of vegetation 

 would fly in every direction. This material would have a ten- 

 dency to settle on the nests of other fish. These likewise would 

 get busy, and the fanning process was kept up until the nests 

 were satisfactorily completed and cleaned. 



Difficult to Secure Accurate Observations. 



However, it was difficult to get accurate observations on 

 the spawning habits of these fish. The male and female fish 

 "would swim around each other, by the side of each other, and 

 over each other, with such rapidity that it was impossible to 

 see exactly what was going on. However, during these move- 

 ments the eggs were deposited in the nest and fertilized, ap- 

 parently after the same fashion as in the case of the Black 

 bass. We find that it is veiy difficult to make accurate ob- 

 servations on the spawning habits of any fish for the simple 

 reason that the fish are in constant motion and are from eight 

 inches to two feet under the surface of the water. The nests 

 are, as a rule, from one to several feet from the shore line. It 

 is very seldom that the water is perfectly clear, and the fish 

 themselves stir up more or less sediment by their actions 

 during the spawning period. Frequently there is more or less 

 wind that causes little waves or ripples on the surface, and 

 these interfere very seriously with making correct observa- 

 tions. In a general way one can see what is going on, but we 

 find it difficult to get absolutely accurate information. 



Rearing Sunfish in Ponds. 



The sunfish (either the Green or the Bluegill) is one of the 

 easiest fish we have to propagate in the Hatchery ponds. A 

 pond supplied with food material and stocked with sunfish is 

 almost sure to yield a good crop, unless the young are de- 

 stroyed by their natural enemies, which include other fish. 



The little sunfish when they first hatch out are in schools, 

 and keep near the shore for a short time. They are guarded 

 to a certain extent by the old or parent fish, but, according to 

 our observations, they soon scatter and hide in the various 

 growths of water plants that are usually found along the 

 shores of ponds. 



Serve as Food for Other Fish. 



The Green sunfish are hatched later in the season than the 

 bass, and for this reason they have a better opportunity to se- 

 cure particles of food. And for this same reason, also, many 

 of them serve as food for the young bass, that are always 

 hungry and are especially looking for small young fish for 

 food. By the time the sunfishes hatch the water plants have 

 made a good growth and are covered with minute forms of 



