American I'^is/icrics Society. 



131 



'riiev were always more or less scattered about, sometimes cover- 

 ing several s(|uare feet of hotloni. 



It was soon noticed by Mr. Stranahan that the bass liked the 

 roots of plants, or some sort of fibre, to spawn on much better 

 than the gravel or natural bottom. A number of artificial nests, 

 composed of cement, in the shape of a dinner plate or saucer about 

 i6 inches in diameter, and covered with a thin layer of Spanish 

 moss, the moss pressed into the bottom of the nest while in a j^las- 

 tic state, were made and placed in the ponds. The l)ass alwavs 

 selected these in preference to the gravel beds, or natural bottom. 

 It was demonstrated, too, that these artificial nests are better for 

 the bass to deposit their eggs on, for three reasons, as follows : 



(i ) I'he fibre afi:'ords more surface to the square incli than 

 gravel or clay. 



(2) It holds the eggs more securely. 



(3) The eggs are freer from sediment than they would be 

 on gravel or clay. 



The plan of removing the eggs or fry from one pond to 

 another by means of the artificial nest has not l)een thoroughly set- 

 tled, but we feel satisfied that if so desired the fry can be removed 

 after hatching much more easil}- than would be possible from a 

 gravel or clay nest. In fact, it would not be necessary to wait 

 for the eggs to hatch during good weather, when the ponds are 

 clear. However, if the conditions are not just right, it is best to 

 leave the eggs with the parent fish until after they are hatched, 

 when the fry can be removed 1j\' simply lifting the nest from one 

 pond and placing it in another. This prevents the necessity of net- 

 ting very young fry. 



It is much better not to have the fibre very thick on the arti- 

 ficial nests — merely enough to hold the eggs and not entangle the 

 fry is all that is necessary. There is no question about the bass 

 preferring the fil)re to gravel or clay. On one occasion we placed 

 an artificial ne.st in one of the ponds at 2:00 o'clock p. m. and at 

 2:05 a male bass was on it cleaning it oft', although there were a 

 numlier of gravel and clay beds in the p )nd. 



