Aiiicricfdi Fislieries Socivfij. 



49 



lislu'il observations. — and arc not at all in accord with my obser- 

 vations in ^lichigan. 



After the young small month Ijass rise from the nest they 

 soon scatter out over a space 4 or 5 rods across. They do not 

 form a definite school, with all the fish moving together, but a 

 verv loose swarm in which the fish are moving independently, or 

 in small groups. This hahit makes it impossible to seine the 

 voung fry, as upon the approacli of the seine, instead of kee])ing 

 together, they at once scatter and escape the seine. The fry may 

 be at the surface or on the bottom in -weeds or clear water. They 

 are attended hy the male until they are an inch and a (puirter 



POND DRAWN DOWN WHILE SETTING BEDS. 



long. The swarm then gradually disperses and the young fr}', 

 wliich were previously l)lack, take on the color of the old fish. 



The breeding habits of the Large :\Iouth Black Bass are simi- 

 lar to those of the small mouth, hut differ in some respects which 

 are of importance in pond culture. 



1. The nests of the large mouth are not made on gravel, but 

 bv ])reference on the roots of water plants. These art' cleaned of 

 mud over a circular area and on them the eggs are laid. As the 

 large mouth eggs are snuiUer and more adhesive than those of 

 the snuUl mouth, they are apt, when laid on gra\el to become 

 lodged between the stones and to stick together in masses,. They 



