65 



A Note on the Breeding Habits of the Common or White 



Sucker. 



By Glexx Culbertson. 



While lishing on Big Creek In Jefferson County, Incl., last April tlie 

 writer had an opportunity to observe at short range the spawning habits 

 of the common White Suclcer (Catostomus teres). It is the habit of this 

 fish to s])nwn in tlie swiftly tiowing water of ripples rather than in the 

 still water of pools, and if I am not mistalcen during the night rather than 

 the day. 



In the case under observation there was a school of suckers, some 

 twenty or twenty-five in number, and ranging in size from nine or ten 

 inches to thirteen or fourteen inches in length. The location was a short 

 reach of swift water some three or four indies in depth. betAveen two 

 large pools. The ripple was close to a steep bank and was overliung by 

 the branches of trees, making the place rather dark even at noon. The 

 fish with few exceptions were constantly swimming about, now in the 

 deeper water and. again for a short time in the shallow water of the 

 ripples. A few were lying quietly on the l^ottom in the swift water. 



My attention on observing the school for a few minutes was soon 

 attracted to a large female, thirteen or fourteen inches in length and two 

 males about ten or eleven inches long. Whenever this particular female 

 SAvam from the pool aljove down into the swift water, tlie two males, 

 which always swam approximately side by side, and some five or six 

 inches apart, would endeavor to pass one on either side of the female. 

 In the one case where th^ actual spawning occurred, the two males 

 reached positions close to and on either side of the female and with the 

 anterior portions of their heads some two inches farther back than that of 

 the female, the heads of all b.eing upstream. While thus stationary in this 

 position the males struck the female each with head and then tail, al- 

 ternately, and with great rapidity. This motion was continued some four 

 or five seconds. At the same time, the swift water of the ripple below 

 the spawning fish became of a milky white color, due to the spermatic 

 fluid of the males. On taking the same female a few minutes later the 



^ — ,\. OF SCTKvrK, '03. 



