BRIEF NOTES ON FISHES. 377 



sary to hunt up their nests in May. Then everything 

 concerning them is intensified. Their colors are bright- 

 er, their movements more active, and every feature of 

 their surroundings is furbished up and new. The mud 

 of the spring freshets has all floated away or settled to 

 the bottom of the pond ; the water-plants are not too 

 rank to conceal the fishes' haunts ; and the foliage of the 

 overhanging trees is fresh, bright, and not too dense for 

 straggling sunbeams to penetrate. One of the " sights " 

 at this time, if we direct our steps to the creek, is the 

 row of sunfish-nests along the shore. This fish at this 

 time has a horror of dirt, and every speck other than fine, 

 clean sand is carefully removed from the shallow circular 

 depressions which constitute their nests. Now, it often 

 happens that the available places for such nests are not 

 everywhere along the bank of the creek, but that short 

 stretches, here and there, only can ba utilized. These 

 are fully occupied, the nests being at times but a foot or 

 two apart ; and, when a comprehensive glance can be had, 

 they look like a row of rusty pie- plates just beneath the 

 water. In these nests both fishes will often be, and yet 

 scarcely recognizable when seen from above. All the 

 gorgeous coloring is confined to their sides and bellies; 

 the back, being a dull green, blends well with the sur- 

 roundings and the color of the water. This fact would 

 afford them protection from such enemies as might be 

 above them, though there are none such now, unless, per- 

 haps, a stray otter or mink might happen to be near. 

 Doubtless, in the long ago of primeval forests and abun- 

 dant wild-cats and fisher-martens, this green color was 

 of much value to sunfish as a protection against surprise ; 

 but that time has long passed, and now their enemies are 

 gone, except the pin-hook and tow-string anglers of recent 

 times, though these again are generally too bungling to 





