500 FISHES CHAP. 
Erie. It is a voracious, carnivorous Fish, preying upon other Fish 
as well as upon fresh-water Crustaceans and Insects, very tenacious 
of life, and of no economic value. The male is smaller than the 
female, about 18 inches in length, and is distinguished by the 
presence of a round black spot, encircled by a margin of orange, 
at the base of the caudal fin (Fig. 295). The female may 
exceed 24 inches. 
Amia frequently rises to the surface, especially when the 
water is foul, and takes in large mouthfuls of air, and it is prob- 
able that the air is subsequently passed into the spacious cellular 
air-bladder which acts as a lung. The breeding season, during 
which the coloration of the Fish is more brilliant than at other 
times, lasts from the beginning of May to June, but it may begin 
and end somewhat earlier if the temperature be favourable. The 
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Fic. 295.—The Bow-Fin (Amia calva). (From a specimen in the Cambridge 
University Museum.) x4. 
Fish makes its way from the deeper water, where it has remained 
sluggish during the winter, to the spawning ground. This is 
usually at the swampy end of a lake where there is an abundance 
of aquatic herbage intersected by channels of clear water. There 
the Fish is said to circle round until the soft weeds and rootlets 
are bent and crushed aside, so as to leave an area having the 
appearance of a crude form of nest,’ in which the eggs are 
deposited. They may be found in enormous numbers adhering 
to the leaves and rootlets of the weedy home. After oviposition 
the male remains on guard until the young are hatched out, 
when they appear to leave the nest in a body, still under the pro- 
tection of their watchful parent. At all events a little later the 
male has been observed to be accompanied by a swarm of young 
fry, which he keeps together by circling round them. The 
development of the eggs is remarkably rapid. From the first 
cleavage of the egg to the hatching of the embryo the whole 
1 Bashford Dean, Q.J.I0,S. xxxviii. p. 413. 
