Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 401 



spot was in all probability because of the warmer temperature of 

 the water there. For some reason, partly perhaps because of sub- 

 aqueous springs, and possibly because of exhaust pipes from the 

 heating plant of the Military Academy, the water there was always 

 several degrees warmer than that of the lake, and did not freeze 

 at all. 



It is barely possible that the bluegills which crowded into this 

 inlet were unhealthy individuals, and had chosen the warmer 

 waters out of a general sensation of discomfort or exceptional sen- 

 sitiveness to cold ; it was noted that all about the edge of the lake 

 where springs ran in and raised the temperature of the water, 

 that fishes which usually appeared more or less sick crowded 

 about ; at any rate, Saprolegnia soon broke out among the crowded 

 fishes and in a short time wrought great havoc, and before long, 

 fishes could be found dead and in all stages of disease. The fungus 

 attacked especially the tail and eyes. 



Even healthy bluegills exhibit in a marked degree the paralyz- 

 ing influence of cold water. While cold water appears to benumb 

 all fishes more or less, the greater number are able to swim away 

 with reasonable speed when frightened. On December 21, 1904, 

 some bluegills, as fine and large as are usually seen at the lake, were 

 observed through the thin ice in Lake Maxinkuckee. Some simply 

 stuck their heads down into the Chara and tried to hide; others 

 tried to dart away, but appeared very numb, and moved with diffi- 

 culty. If chased they soon tired, often showing their sides upward, 

 and one soon lay down on its side and refused to move, although 

 attempts of all sorts to frighten it were made on the ice above. 



During the early spring the young bluegills of the year before, 

 flock in rather large schools along shore. From April 26 to May 

 18 they wiere seen almost every day. The young frequently hide 

 among Chara and weeds near shore in shallow water during the 

 winter, and are among the most common fishes raked up with 

 weeds through the ice. 



The Bluegill affords perhaps more sport and food to resident 

 anglers about the lake than any other species. It bites all the year 

 round, and is sometimes even taken on the set-line. One of the 

 best times to fish for it is during the early spring, when large 

 catches can be made fishing from piers with the ordinary bamboo 

 pole and cork bob. The crowd of anglers who lined the shore by 

 the Ice-houses from about the middle to the end of April, 1901, got 

 goodly numbers of these fishes. On April 16, one fisherman caught 

 54; on April 18, another got 23. In general, catches of from 25 

 to 40 in a day or less seemed rather common about this time. 



