ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 109 



soon as ice is permanently olt the water, \\hen pieces of brush 

 are placed in the water the fishes will deposit their whitish egg 

 clusters among them. If the egg masses are removed in buckets 

 of water to some place where they can be protected, the yield of 

 small fishes will be greatly increased. 



Calico Bass, {Pojiioxis sparoidcs) and Crappic, {Poiiioxis aii- 

 >ntlaris). These fishes are highly recommended for ponds. They 

 breed rapidly, are excellent pan-fishes, and do not disturb other 

 species. The range of the calico bass is somewhat more northern 

 than its near relative the crappie, with which it is often confused. 

 but both species have been widely distributed by artificial means, 

 and can be procured in most of the Eastern States. 



They may be kept in ponds with bass, perch, or sunfishes. thrive 

 with little care and will stand rather warm ponds. If the pond is 

 large and the water deep, the size of the fish is apt to be larger. 



Good baits for catching them, are live minnows, worms, cray- 

 fish, tadpoles, and crickets ; cut bait is also efifective. Both species 

 are active on the line, and will take the artificial fly. 



White Perch. (Moroiic aiiiericana) . This is mainly a fish of 

 coastal waters, ascending streams to spawn. It is frequently land- 

 locked in fresh-water lakes and breeds there, and has, at times, 

 been common in Prospect Park lakes in Xew York City. It is a 

 first class food-fish attaining a weight of two pounds, but the 

 average fish in fresh-water is not much over half a pound. 



It spawns from April to June among weeds and brush. The 

 usual baits are available in taking it. and it will give fair sport 

 with the artificial fly and light tackle. White perch in bass ponds 

 are liable to annoy the latter during the nesting season. 



White Bass. (Roccus chrysops) and YellotK.' Bass, {Moroiie in- 

 tcrrupta). — The white bass, inhabiting the Great Lakes and upper 

 Mississippi region, and the yellow bass of the lower Mississippi, 

 are both available for pond culture. The former has been intro- 

 duced into many of the smaller lakes of Xew York and Xew 

 Jersey, and has proved to be satisfactory as a pond-fish, making 

 rapid growth the first year. Both species attain weights of as 

 much as three pounds, take the usual baits of fresh-water fishes, 

 and will rise to the artificial fly. the first being especially gamy. 



Blue-Gilled Suniish. (Lepoinis pallidus). This is the largest 

 of the sunfishes. It thrives in ponds and will live in as warm 

 water as any native food-fish. It attains a weight of two pounds, 

 although the average is less than one pound. It is highly recom- 

 mended for ponds. 



All the sunfishes are prolific, and like the basses make their nests 



