842 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



winter, will embed themselves iu the mud and remain in a torpid or 

 semi-torpid condition, they will, in preference (?), seek winter-quarters 

 where the water is of such temperature that they can move freely about. 

 If this is true, then it necessitates their being able to procure food ; and 

 what the vegetable feeders, as the suckers and cyprinoids, find in the 

 lifeless and leafless waters, it is difficult to determine. I endeavored to 

 clear up to my own satisfaction, at least, some of these points in con- 

 nection with the "catch" of fishes above enumerated. 



On examining the physical character of the locality itself, I found it 

 to be a basin, about one-fourth of an acre in extent, about 4 to 5 feet in 

 depth, and fully 3 feet lower than the surrounding bed of the stream. 

 The ice at the time was 9 inches iu thickness over the entire stream, so 

 that there was a depth of running water of 15 inches iu the stream gener- 

 ally, and in this basin a depth of water of from 2 to 3 feet and 3 inches. 

 Thisdeeper water was, near the bottom of the stream, warmer than that 

 in the shallower places. In addition to the mere depth, there was a con- 

 stant supply of fresh water from two vigorous springs which bubbled up 

 with great energy, keeping the sand in a constant whirl. About these 

 springs the vegetation was green and vigorous, if not really growing, as 

 in summer. These " mats " of vegetation were favorite resting-places 

 for the sun-fish ; and I suppose the vigorous condition of the plants and 

 the chemical changes in operation in them, even at this time, is an 

 additional source from which the water procures warmth. Assuming, 

 then, from this brief outline of the physical characters of the locality, 

 that certain fishes, finding such spots, can resist the effects of even the 

 coldest winters, it becomes a question of interest to know what is 

 the character of their food at this time, and if they can exist on a 

 much smaller quantity than is ordinarily consumed, or for a consider- 

 able period upon none, yet retain their ordinary vigor and condition. 

 To determine something of these questions, I examined the stomachs 

 and their contents, of each of the fishes above mentioned, 28 speci- 

 mens, and with the following result : The common sun-fish had in each 

 case a small amount, about one-fourth the capacity of the stomach, of 

 mixed vegetable and animal matter; the former being diminutive frag- 

 ments of the common river-weed [Myriafilum ohtuswn), and the latter, 

 fragments of minute shells of several species determined by the pieces 

 of the shell, and some entire shells of a species of Ancylus. I deter- 

 mined the character of these partially digested masses by placing each 

 mass in a plate of water, and allowing the lump to slowly separate into 

 distinct particles. With a pocket lens, the character of these floating 

 fragments could be determined. There was no trace of a fish in the 

 stomach of any one of these sun-fish, and yet small minnows are eagerly 

 devoured by them during the summer months. Having determined 

 the character of the animal food in the stomachs of the sun-fish, I 

 sought for the winter-quarters of the shells, such as the fish had 

 been feeding upon, but could find none on the living plants grow- 



