68 THE SMALL-MOUTHED BASS 



nearer each time. After ten or fifteen minutes the female 

 also started to leave the nest. The male then headed her off 

 and brought her back. He was soon again frightened and 

 both fish then went to the adjacent nest, about which the 

 male had been circling, and there renewed the spawning 

 activities. Both fish were still in the nest at the end of an 

 hour." 



In still another case: "On May 9th a male and a female 

 were seen together in a nest. The female left the nest and 

 the male followed. In her flight she passed a second nest on 

 which was a large male. He also pursued the female and 

 after a minute or so succeeded in getting her away from the 

 first male and took her into his own nest." Both nests were 

 subsequently found to have eggs in them. 



That a single male may receive into his nest two females 

 in succession and guard their eggs is shown by an experience 

 in one of the breeding ponds at the Mill Creek hatchery. 

 "This small pond contained a single male, easily distinguish- 

 able from all other fish in the pond by his size and by a black 

 spot on one side of his head. He was very tame and it was 

 the practice of the employees to feed him frequently. When- 

 ever a stray frog, grasshopper or crawfish was picked up it 

 was carried and thrown in to him. During the season this 

 fish reared on one nest two different broods of young." 



Care of the Eggs and Fry. The male remains over the 

 nest and by alternating movements of his pectoral fins, as 

 well as by a vibrating movement of his caudal, executed 

 either while he is poised over the nest or while he swims 

 slowly across it, he gently fans the eggs and thus in a measure 

 keeps them free from sediment. At frequent intervals he 

 leaves the nest and circles close about it, now in this direc- 

 tion and now in that. Again he makes wide circles into the 

 neighbouring territory, as though to assure himself that no 

 enemies are present. He is not easily frightened from the 

 nest. As one approaches the nest at this time, if the male 



