148 Thirfy-Firsf AnnwiJ Meeting 



These are facts recorded without any comnient, and presented 

 to the society for the express purpose of bringing about disciis- 

 sion, in order that some light may be thrown on the suljject. 

 Perliaps tlie same thing occiirs at other stations, b\it if it keeps 

 up at the same ratio, our Ijass will spawn in mid-winter next 

 season. 



Discussiox OF MR. la:mkix's paper. 



^Ir. Titeoml) : I siiggest tliat it Ije noted on that paper that 

 it relates to the large-mouth bass entirely. 



Dr. Birge : I suppose "having twice as man}^ nests" ineans 

 that the bass spawn twice ? 



^Ir. Stranahan : Yes, sir, and some of them seven times. 

 We had one male that we called Brigham Young, because he 

 was like Brigham in fathering several different nests, and he 

 fathered two broods at the same time, one just hatched and the 

 other swimming up and taking food, some ten days older tlian 

 the first mentioned. 



Mr. Clark: Does that mean twice as many nests as there 

 were males ? 



j\Ir. Stranahan : No ; it means twice as many as all of them, 

 males and females. ]\Ir. Lamkin was conservative in just saying 

 twice. 



Prof. Keighard : It would seem to me tliat the average 

 monthly temperature could have nothing to do with the time 

 whvu the fish spawn. It is a few warm days that bring on the 

 spawning, and if you get a few warm days early in March the 

 fish are apt to soften up and spawn, and if that does not ha|)pen 

 tbe next year until April they will not spawn until April. I do 

 not think tlie average montldy temperature would atford any ex- 

 ])laiiation of the phenomenon. 



Mr. Clai'k : Tlie same is true of our whitefish and lake trout. 

 Temperature is what controls the ripening or spawning of fish, 

 Ijut it is not average temperature. Of course if the water keeps 

 very warm in the fall and the fish do not commence to run, after- 

 ward when it cools down a little they come on and immediately 

 begin to spawn, instead of waiting as is usually done. The cold 

 M'ater fish need cold M'oather to ripen them, and the warm Avater 

 tish require warm weather. 



