Wicklijf. — Food of Small-Mouth Black Bass 371 



23 

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25 



26 

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 31 



Stonefly nymph 



Ciliates 



Difflugia 



Spider , 



Parnid beetle larvae . . . . 



Nematode worm 



Sand 



Pebbles 



Unrecognizable material 



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 3.8 



Eight orders of adult insects give 36 different types of food. 

 SUMMARY 



Copepods and cladocerans are the first food of the young 

 bass. They are found in from 80 to 90 per cent of the young 

 bass, depending upon the general abundance of each. These 

 minute animals are important up to the 40 mm. stage. From 

 this point on they are not important, and were not found in 

 the 8 bass examined between 50 and 65 mm. 



Mixed with the copepods and cladocerans in the 8J^-15 mm. 

 stage are a few midge larvae, pupae (12 per cent), and adult 

 insects. 



After the 15 mm. stage, midge larvae and pupae, mayfly 

 nymphs, fish, and adult insects become more important, the 

 midge larvae especially so up to 40 mm. and the pupae to 45 mm. 

 The larvae are important after the 15 mm. stage, and the pupae 

 after the 25 mm. stage. 



Adult insects and fish become more important as the bass 

 increase in length, and these, with crayfish and a few midge 

 larvae and pupae, are the chief articles of diet in the food of 

 bass between 45 and 65 mm. 



From the few yearlings examined, I would say that cray- 

 fish and fish with a few insects are the three important foods. 



The food cycle seems to be copepods and cladocerans of 

 an almost pure diet to 15 mm. ; then from 16 to 45 mm. mixed 

 with these are mayfly nymphs, midge larvae and pupae, with 

 fish and adult insects ; and above 45 mm. fish, adult insects, and 

 crayfish are important. Although these overlap, the series is : 

 (1) entomostracans, (2) insects ( larvae, pupae, and adults), and 

 (3) crayfish and fish. 



