390 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



extent than any other species of this lake. Parasitic Copepods 

 were abundant on the gills. Late in autumn the gills were fre- 

 quently well crowded with small free-swimming Copepods. Disto- 

 mids and Acanthocephali were frequently found in the stomachs, 

 and leeches were frequently found attached in the axils of the 

 fins. 



The Rock Bass is one of the earliest spawners. They begin 

 about the middle of May and are usually done by June 15. They 

 come out into shallow water and make the nest among the rushes, 

 or by a stick, chunk, stake, rock or any similar object. The nest 

 resembles that of the calico bass, being made in clean coarse sand 

 or fine gravel, and 8 or 9 inches in diameter. The eggs of the 

 rock bass are about the size of small shot, and are very numerous. 



The young Rock Bass is a quite handsome fish, the sides being 

 beautifully mottled and clouded with irregular patches of brown. 

 As it grows older the color markings become dark lines along the 

 rows of scales and it becomes much less attractive. 



The young seem to grow quite rapidly. Young of the year 

 taken July 18, average 1.15 inches in total length. 



Cold water has considerable influence in benumbing these fishes. 

 Some large examples seen in shallow water near shore seemed to 

 have lost the power of coordination ; they had a tendency to swim 

 on their sides. 



As to the edible qualities of the Rock Bass, not much can be 

 said in its favor. In cold running streams or waters where better 

 fish are not common it will pass as a fairly good pan-fish, but in 

 a lake like Maxinkuckee where so many better fish are found, it 

 is not held in high esteem. Its flesh is white and flaky, but rather 

 soft and insipid and sometimes tastes of mud. Next to the war- 

 mouth it is the poorest of the food-fishes of this lake. 



Head 2.75 in length; depth 2 to 2.5; eye 3.5 to 4.5; snout 4; 

 maxillary 2.3; D. XI, 10; A. VI, 10; scales about 6-39-12, 6 to 

 8 rows on cheek ; gillrakers 7 to 10 ; creca 7 ; vertebra? 14 -|- 18 ; 

 body oblong, moderately compressed; head large, profile in adult 

 somewhat depressed above the eyes; mouth large, the maxillary 

 reaching middle of pupil ; gillrakers developed only on lower part 

 of arch ; preopercle serrate near its angle. 



Color, olive-green, conspicuously tinged with brassy, and with 

 much dark mottling; the young irregularly barred and blotched 

 with black and with very little brassy, the adult with a dark spot 

 on each scale, these forming interrupted black stripes; a black 

 opercular spot ; dark mottlings on the soft dorsal, caudal and anal ; 

 eye more or less red. 



