32 FISH CULTUEE 



days elapse before all the eggs are deposited. 



As soon as all the eggs are laid, the male 

 drives the female away and assumes full 

 charge of caring for the eggs and hatching 

 them. He moves slowly back and forth a few 

 inches above the nest, with intervals for rest 

 of perhaps a minute, keeping his pectoral fins 

 moving all the time, so as to fan away all dirt 

 or sediment, and often raising his body to an 

 acute angle so as to bring the fanning tail-fin 

 closer to the eggs. Every few minutes he will 

 carefully scrutinise all parts of the nest, to 

 make sure there is no dirt anywhere ; and will 

 make short excursions to see that no enemies 

 nor curious fish are approaching too near. 



During this period he exhibits marked 

 savagery, seems to have lost nearly all sense 

 of fear. At such times a bass has been known 

 to rush fiercely at a man's hand thrust into the 

 water, and bite it with all his might. After 

 the eggs have hatched, and when the culturist 

 is dipping the advanced fry from the nest, it 

 is not uncommon to have the old male rush at 

 the net and sometimes tear it. It is unsafe for 

 any fish to approach a nest while it is occupied 



