.Uiicrican Fisheries Socicly. 129 



THE SPAWNING HABITS OF THE LARGE-MOUTH BLACK BASS 

 IN THE SOUTH. 



V.\ I. li.WAKI) l.AMKIX, BL'LL()CI!\'1 1.1,1-: C,.\. 



L'ntlcr tlircction of Mr. J. J. Slranahan. Supcrinu-iukiit oi 

 Cold Sprino^s. Ga., U. S. Fish commission Station, \\c have made 

 numerous ol^servations and experiments. ])ertainini;' to the eg'gs 

 and culture of the larg-e-month l)lack bass, some of which have 

 proven ver\- satisfactory and beneficial. 



Throuiihout the whole s])awnin_<;" season, with but verv few 

 exceptions, we have been favored 1)}' clear water, which has 

 enabled us to make more thorougii observations than is possil)le 

 in waters usually inhabited by the larg"e-mouth ])lack bass. The 

 bass connnenced to clear the g'ravel nests about the ist of April, 

 when the water in the ponds was 56° F.. mean temperature. Xew 

 beds were noticed each day. but no indications oi spawning were 

 noted until the 9th of April, when the temperature of the ponds had 

 risen to C)6 degrees. In the afternoon of the (jth, two bass were 

 noticed on a nest, but it is not definitely known when the spawnings 

 was done, as a heavy rain on the loth and iith roiled the ponds 

 to such an extent that observations could not be made until the 

 13th, wdien eg^gs were noticed on two nests. On the following 

 day these eggs had, to all appearances, disappeared. Xew nests 

 were discovered almost daily and the eggs disappeared, as the 

 others, in from two to three days. ( )n the 22nd of A])ril. young- 

 fish were seen on and over the first two nests, which were first 

 seen on the 13th. when the temperature was 61 degrees. These 

 eggs were undou])te(ll\- hatched on the night of the I3tli. or tlvj 

 morning of the 14th. as will be shown later. It continued the same 

 with all nests, that the eggs would disappear in two or tliree days 

 and the fry show up in from six to eight days thereafter, depend- 

 ing altogether on the temperature of the water, and. I think, the 

 amount of sunli""ht has something to do with the time. 



