WHERE TO CATCH THE BLACK BASS 27 



kind, whereas the other species do not hesitate to eat any- 

 thing which appeals to them in the form of food. 



Even in the case of other fish which are non-predatory, the 

 hiding instinct is highly developed and forms probably the 

 chief feature in their every-day existence. 



In connection with his statement I relate here the fol- 

 lowing experience: 



I was sitting, one summer evening, near the edge of a 

 small pond, cleaning some black bass; and, when I had 

 finished the operation, I proceeded to cut them 

 up into suitable pieces and wash them in a 

 small hole, where the water was about a foot in 

 depth. 



Here I noticed a commotion at the bottom, 

 which was muddy and covered with green weeds; 

 and occasionally I saw small minnows darting to 

 and fro amongst the broken stone which lay in 

 the vicinity. 



Sitting down quietly close by, I waited 

 patiently for some time, and soon, as the water _ 



Larva of Com- 



became clear, I observed a number of small fish, mon M h 

 about an inch long, feeding on the minute par- 

 ticles of gelatinous matter which had been detached from 

 the pieces of bass by the process of cleaning and hung 

 suspended in the water. 



Presently a few larger minnows appeared, and then one 

 or two small perch; but the least movement on my part 

 caused them all to vanish. 



I then placed some larger pieces of skin and flesh just 

 at the edge of the water and sat down again. Soon the 

 minnows re-appeared, and then a few perch, cf larger size 

 than formerly, all busily engaged in eating the refuse; but 

 sometimes a perch would vary the performance slightly by 

 gobbling down an unfortunate minnow. Suddenly, from 

 under a large stone, a gigantic crayfish, about nine inches 



