40 FISH CULTURE 



to within a few inches of the surface, regard- 

 less of the depth of the water. 



Each day, as night approaches, the fry sink 

 back to the nest, due to the fact that the water 

 becomes cooler. After the lapse of a few days, 

 if the advanced fry are not confined in cribs, 

 the male parent crowds them toward the shore 

 and abandons them. The period from the time 

 of hatching to the time of abandonment, is from 

 seven to ten days, under ordinarily favourable 

 conditions. 



For about twenty-four hours after this, the 

 little fish swim together in detached schools, 

 gradually separating until they finally become 

 almost solitary in their habits. They then ex- 

 hibit pronounced cannibalistic habits, pursuing 

 and devouring each other, or attempting to do 

 so. In a wild state however, the young bass 

 at this period of their lives do not terrorise 

 other forms of fish-life. On the contrary, 

 small yellow perch, shiners and even minnows, 

 regard them as tidbits, and for days the young 

 bass are kept busy escaping the maw of those 

 who a few months later will in turn scurry to 

 places of safety on their approach. 



