Titcomb. — Some Fish-Cultural Notes 205 



One main section of the canal ponds was drained and cleared 

 of all natural enemies, and then stocked with 50,000 small 

 mouth bass fry. Owing to the fact that construction and drain- 

 age features were not completed until a short time before it was 

 necessary to ship the fry, the pond was not filled until two or 

 three days before the fry were introduced. Observations of 

 the fry after the first week indicated that there might have been 

 a lack of the normal amount of food; but after two weeks they 

 recovered from their rather emaciated condition and grew 

 rapidly. The total result of the harvest from those 50,000 fry 

 was 14,100 fingerlings ranging in length from 2 to 3% inches, 

 a yield of approximately 28 per cent. The fish were harvested 

 when from six to eight weeks old. This gives rather interest- 

 ing data upon the planting of small mouth bass fry in a pond a 

 mile in length with an average width of between 60 and 70 feet; 

 but it is hoped, another season, with the pond flooded several 

 weeks in advance of planting time, that a larger percentage of 

 fingerlings may be produced. A pond of this character offers 

 many opportunities for experiments of an economic character. 

 For example, the determination of how many fry can be planted 

 in such a place to procure the best results in fingerlings; the 

 question as to whether it is possible that 30,000 fry will yield as 

 many fingerlings as 50,000; whether we are moving the fry 

 from the nests too soon while they are very delicate; and 

 whether better results will be realized if they are held a week 

 longer in the water where hatched. These are economic ques- 

 tions having a bearing upon all bass fry distributions to public 

 waters, 



THE COMMON BULLHEAD (Ameiurus fiebulosus) 

 The bullhead has not had a very high social standing among 

 fishes, and not much protection, but it seems to be coming into 

 its own. There is a great demand for bullheads in the State of 

 New York, and I find that in other states the bullhead is being 

 propagated more largely. There is not much literature on their 

 habits, so I am submitting a few notes as to observations made 

 during the past summer. 



