ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 



105 



are safe from tlieir enemies and the cannibalistic tendencies of 

 their parents. 



One of the numerous private ponds visited by the writer, a 

 pond half a mile in length, was examined with great care and 

 found to be totally lacking in gravel areas. Although it had been 

 stocked several times with small-mouthed black bass, there had 

 apparently been no natural increase. With a mud bottom it 

 aiiforded no spawning surface whatever for this species. The 

 writer recommended the introduction of numerous artificial 

 spawning nests, or the introduction of the large-mouthed bass 

 which would not require gravel beds, but could spawn among 



ART1FICI.\L SPAWNING NEST. 



the abundant water plants. It is probably unnecessary to add 

 that there should be no fishing allowed during the spawning sea- 

 son, which with most of the fishes mentioned is in the spring 

 months. 



Number of FisJics Required. — In stocking waters it is not nec- 

 essary to have a large number of adult fishes. For a pond of 

 about an acre in extent, twenty pairs of black bass will be suffi- 

 cient, and perhaps fifty pairs of any of the other kinds of fishes 

 mentioned. These numbers will in fact suffice for still larger 

 ponds and should be reduced for smaller ponds. When the con- 

 ditions are right the progeny of the first year will usually stock 



