POMOXIS CRAPPIES 239 



\ ' 



northeastern part of tHe state, and is reported from every river 

 basin of our entire area. 



From the Great Lakes, excepting Ontario, it ranges south- 

 ward through the Mississippi Valley to Alabama and Texas, and 

 westward to Kansas and Nebraska. It has reached the Poto- 

 mac by way of connecting canals, has entered the Erie canal in 

 New York, and is reported also from Pamlico and Great Pedee 

 rivers, on the south Atlantic coast. It is said by Jordan to be 

 generally abundant in ponds, lagoons, bayous, and all sluggish 

 waters, and to be much more common in the southern parts of 

 its range. "In the lower Mississippi Valley the young of this 

 species literally swarm in the overflow ponds and bayous, and 

 vast numbers perish every year when these waters dry up." 



A fish of so wide a range has, of course, many local names. 

 In Illinois the name of crappie is commonly applied indiscrimi- 

 nately to this fish and the one next described. When separately 

 mentioned, the present species is often called the pale crappie, 

 or the white crappie, or the ringed crappie, the last by reason of 

 the more conspicuous vertical bars upon the sides. 



The maximum weight of the fish is about 2% pounds, but 

 the average of the Illinois River market specimens weigh less 

 than a pound. 



This crappie is strictly carnivorous, living mainly on insects, 

 crustaceans, and fishes. Four fifths of the food of fifteen speci- 

 mens examined by us consisted of various aquatic insect larvae, 

 while fishes made but 11 per cent, of the entire food. 



Observations made on market specimens at Havana indicate 

 that the species spawns in May. 



This is an excellent fish with which to stock artificial ponds. 

 It was introduced into the Potomac in 1894, and has now be- 

 come abundant there. It takes the hook well, and is held in 

 high esteem as a game fish in the Southern States and in some 

 parts of Illinois. Dr. Jordan says that it will take a minnow 

 bait as promptly as will a black bass, but that it is not very 

 pugnacious, and, owing to its tender mouth, requires consider- 

 able skill in handling the tackle. The State and the United 

 States Fish Commissions are doing much to maintain the supply 

 of this fish in this state by collecting the young from overflow 

 ponds along the Illinois and the Mississippi, and transplanting 

 them into other waters. 



The annual catch of crappie, including the next species with 

 the present, varies from 800,000 to 1,300,000 pounds for the 



