84 COPEIA 



The nesting-habits of our common catfish or bull- 

 head (Ameiurus nebulosus) are, perhaps, best known 

 and have been noticed by a number of observers. It 

 nests in various situations, or in water of from several 

 feet in depth to that of but a few inches. Though only 

 a few nests were noticed in a restricted area, some- 

 times a dozen or more may be found on one shoal and 

 close to one another. Frequently the fish take advan- 

 tage of any objects, such as logs, rocks, etc., for shelter- 

 ing the nest. The eggs are deposited at intervals and 

 may number from about 50 to 500 or more. In the 

 construction of the nest, spawning habits and care of 

 the young, this species acts like the white cat. There 

 is always a great range of variation in many of these 

 features, especialy due to the individuals and condi- 

 tions. No two nests were ever found exactly alike, 

 and the same was true of the spawners. Even the 

 female will sometimes, at least in the aquarium, brood 

 her young, and in most cases the parents will devour 

 the eggs, especially if disturbed. Usually the male 

 guards the nest and broods the young, as the female 

 deserts the nest by the time the young hatch. When 

 just hatched the young catfish collect in a dense school, 

 move in circles or close gyrations, and the whole crowd 

 in constant motion. 



The black bullhead (Ameiurus melas) has not been 

 observed spawning by me. Dr. Van Deusen gives me 

 the following notes on a pair spawning in the aquarium 

 July 15, 1916. Both sexes assumed charge of the nest 

 and both guarded the young. Both parents remamed 

 in the nest at the same time and at alternate times. 

 The female was apparently the more savage and the 

 male would bite one's finger when disturbed. The 

 nest was a shallow depression, scooped out of the bot- 

 tom, and its diameter about equal to the fish's length. 

 The eggs, when deposited, were 200 and of a pale 

 creamy-white color. As the water was warm they 

 hatched in five days. 



During the past summer I was so fortunate as to 

 find the stone cat (Schilbeodes insignis) nesting. On 

 July 2, with Mr. H. E. Thompson, we visited the middle 

 course of the Tohickon Creek. This is a small tribu- 

 tary of the Delaware, flowing through typical Piedmont 

 country a few miles above Trenton on the Pennsylvania 

 side. At the point we visited, the stream was shallow, 

 with a gentle current of pure fresh water flowing over 



