AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY. 



rule, and do not disprove tlie fact that the black bear is a 

 hibernating animal. 



In Europe, the German carp are typical hibernating fishes, 

 burying themselves in the mud at the beginning of winter, their 

 heads together in circles and their tails out, which are kept in 

 motion more or less constantly. But American fish-culturists 

 state that while the iinp(jrted carp hibernate profoundly, their 

 descendants, on the contrary, are more active during the winter, 

 and the disposition to hibernate grows less with succeeding 

 generations. This I believe to be more on account of an abund- 

 ant supply of food than upon the temperature, for most carp 

 cukurists are liberal feeders, from the fact that carp will grow 

 more rapidly than other fishes if well fed. 



German authorities are of the opinion that the carp takes no 

 food during the period of its hibernation (from four to six • 

 months), though it has been proved that it does not diminish in 

 weight during this entire time. I do not believe it possible for 

 an animal to abstain entirely from food and maintain a uniform 

 weight for a period of several months, even though it sleep 

 ever so profoundly. (The black bear goes into winter quarters 

 excessively fat, but comes out in the spring weak and emaciated.) 

 I am of the opinion that the German carp derives its nourish- 

 ment during hibernation from the mud in which it is buried, for 

 it is well known that all of the Cypnnidce, CatostomidiE, etc., feed 

 more or less upon the mud of the bottom, or at least upon 

 minute organisms contained therein. This view seems plausible 

 in connection with the fact that in Europe, carp kept in tanks for 

 sale during winter rapidly lose in weight unless fed generously. 

 In American waters, though frozen over during the entire win- 

 ter, there are always some form of vegetation, larvae and animal- 

 culae, to be had by herdivorous and bottom -feeding fishes, as 

 carp, minnows, suckers, sturgeon, etc., consequently these fishes 

 are more or less active during the coldest weather, and some of 

 them in turn furnish food for the piscivorous tribes during the 

 same season. 



The writer has elsewhere stated: "During a residence of ten 

 vears in Wisconsin, where fishing through the ice is constantly 

 practiced during the winter, and where tons of pickerel, pike- 



