SPAWNING OF BLACK BASS 41 



Cannibalism of Bass. Of all fresh-water 

 fish, the small-mouthed bass from infancy, and 

 the largemouth from a year old, are the most 

 inveterate cannibals. "Were it not for their 

 high qualities as food and game, their intro- 

 duction into any water could only be regarded 

 as a misfortune. Cannibalism with the small- 

 mouth begins within a day or two after they 

 have become advanced fry, increases in inten- 

 sity as they grow older, and continues until 

 death overtakes the fish. It is this craving for 

 the flesh of their own kind that makes it diffi- 

 cult to rear bass to maturity in large numbers 

 in captivity. 



When, with rare devotion, the male parent 

 watches the eggs, cares for the fry and ad- 

 vanced fry to the point of driving them to shore, 

 preparatory to abandoning them, there is no 

 indication whatever of his cannibalistic habits ; 

 but no sooner has he driven them into shelter 

 among the weeds where he leaves them, than 

 his appetite returns, not only with full force, 

 but whetted by his abstinence of two or three 

 weeks when a housekeeper. At this critical 

 moment, he will devour as many of his progeny 



