﻿172 
  REPORT 
  OF 
  COMMISSIONER 
  OF 
  FISH 
  AND 
  FISHERIES. 
  

  

  importaut, 
  for, 
  although 
  bass 
  sometimes 
  build 
  uests 
  where 
  there 
  is 
  no 
  

   shade, 
  in 
  most 
  instances 
  they 
  select 
  places 
  under 
  overhanging 
  grasses, 
  

   lily-pads, 
  stumps, 
  and 
  logs. 
  The 
  artificial 
  nests 
  should 
  be 
  located 
  

   several 
  weeks 
  in 
  advance 
  of 
  the 
  expected 
  spawning, 
  and 
  undue 
  dis- 
  

   turbance 
  of 
  the 
  pond 
  should 
  be 
  avoided. 
  They 
  must 
  be 
  examined 
  

   often, 
  and 
  all 
  containing 
  young 
  fish 
  removed 
  to 
  the 
  reariiig-ponds. 
  

  

  From 
  the 
  time 
  the 
  bass 
  commence 
  nest-building 
  tlie 
  attendant 
  keeps 
  

   the 
  pond 
  and 
  its 
  contents 
  under 
  constant 
  surveillance 
  and 
  maintains 
  a 
  

   close 
  watch 
  for 
  fish-hawks 
  and 
  herons. 
  A 
  record 
  is 
  kept, 
  as 
  nearly 
  as 
  

   practicable, 
  of 
  the 
  date 
  when 
  each 
  lot 
  of 
  eggs 
  is 
  laid, 
  so 
  that 
  it 
  may 
  

   be 
  known 
  when 
  to 
  expect 
  the 
  young 
  to 
  hatch. 
  If 
  artificial 
  nests 
  are 
  

   used, 
  the 
  observations 
  can 
  be 
  made 
  more 
  carefully, 
  and 
  numbers 
  can 
  be 
  

   painted 
  on 
  the 
  shade 
  board 
  to 
  designate 
  the 
  particular 
  nests, 
  and 
  the 
  

   records 
  of 
  hatching 
  and 
  spawning 
  can 
  be 
  kept 
  with 
  greater 
  accuracy. 
  

  

  STOCKING 
  THE 
  BREEDING-PONDS. 
  

  

  Whenever 
  procurable, 
  domesticated 
  fish 
  are 
  to 
  be 
  preferred 
  to 
  wild 
  

   fish 
  for 
  this 
  purpose, 
  as 
  they 
  are 
  less 
  liable 
  to 
  injury 
  in 
  handling 
  and 
  

   transportation. 
  A 
  disrupted 
  scale, 
  lacerated 
  fin, 
  or 
  a 
  bruise 
  on 
  head 
  

   or 
  body 
  frequently 
  causes 
  the 
  death 
  of 
  wild 
  bass, 
  and 
  the 
  conditions 
  of 
  

   their 
  native 
  surroundings 
  make 
  it 
  ditncult 
  to 
  collect 
  any 
  considerable 
  

   number 
  of 
  them. 
  Moreover, 
  adult 
  fish 
  captured 
  from 
  their 
  native 
  

   waters 
  frequently 
  fail 
  to 
  spawn 
  in 
  the 
  year 
  or 
  season 
  in 
  which 
  captured, 
  

   on 
  account 
  of 
  fright. 
  

  

  Bass 
  not 
  over 
  2 
  or 
  2^ 
  pounds 
  are 
  recommended 
  if 
  the 
  work 
  is 
  carried 
  

   on 
  in 
  ponds 
  which 
  are 
  to 
  be 
  frequently 
  drawn 
  oft', 
  but 
  larger 
  fish 
  can 
  

   be 
  used 
  advantageously 
  if 
  they 
  are 
  to 
  be 
  but 
  rarely 
  transferred 
  to 
  other 
  

   ponds. 
  Very 
  large 
  bass 
  are 
  more 
  liable 
  to 
  injury 
  when 
  the 
  ponds 
  are 
  

   drawn 
  and 
  the 
  fish 
  transferred, 
  as 
  they 
  are 
  more 
  difficult 
  to 
  handle 
  

   safely, 
  and 
  bruise 
  and 
  injure 
  themselves 
  in 
  the 
  tubs. 
  Males 
  and 
  females 
  

   should 
  be 
  in 
  equal 
  proportion, 
  as 
  an 
  excess 
  of 
  males 
  is 
  liable 
  to 
  prove 
  

   a 
  disturbing 
  element 
  at 
  spawning 
  time, 
  and, 
  later 
  in 
  the 
  season, 
  a 
  

   source 
  of 
  loss 
  from 
  their 
  x>reying 
  on 
  the 
  fry. 
  The 
  sexes 
  of 
  the 
  black 
  

   bass 
  are 
  not 
  as 
  easily 
  distinguishable 
  as 
  of 
  the 
  trout. 
  The 
  number 
  

   of 
  adult 
  fish 
  for 
  breeding-ponds 
  depends 
  upon 
  the 
  food 
  supply. 
  For 
  

   several 
  years 
  past 
  at 
  Neosho 
  an 
  average 
  of 
  30 
  breeding 
  bass 
  to 
  the 
  

   acfe 
  of 
  water 
  has 
  been 
  allowed, 
  but 
  that 
  number 
  might 
  be 
  increased. 
  

  

  SPAWNING 
  HABITS. 
  

  

  When 
  the 
  nests 
  are 
  prepared 
  and 
  the 
  spawning 
  time 
  arrives, 
  the 
  

   parent 
  fish 
  — 
  especially 
  the 
  male 
  — 
  show 
  considerable 
  excitement 
  and 
  

   swim 
  back 
  and 
  forth 
  over 
  and 
  around 
  the 
  nest. 
  In 
  the 
  act 
  of 
  spawn- 
  

   ing 
  they 
  cross 
  the 
  nest, 
  their 
  bellies 
  close 
  together, 
  the 
  male 
  a 
  little 
  

   behind 
  the 
  female, 
  and 
  simultaneously 
  void 
  the 
  eggs 
  and 
  eject 
  the 
  

   milt, 
  the 
  real 
  act 
  of 
  spawning 
  occupying 
  a 
  comparatively 
  short 
  time 
  — 
  

   a 
  minute 
  or 
  less. 
  The 
  eggs, 
  when 
  laid, 
  are 
  viscid, 
  and 
  as 
  soon 
  as 
  voided 
  

  

  