382 Roosczrit Wild Life Annals 



paying a license fee of one dollar. ( )ne end of the line must be on shore and must 

 bear the license number. 



References. Adams and Hankinson, 'j6; Baker, '16; Bean, '91 ; Bensley, '15; 

 Butler, '19; Eycleshymer, '01; Forbes, '88; Forbes and Richardson, '09; Faust, 

 '18; Fowler, '06, '07, '13, '17; Gill, '07; Greeley, '2j; Hankinson, '08; LaRue, '26; 

 Mearns, '98; Marshall and Gilbert, '05; Kendall, '04, '10; McAtee and Weed, '15; 

 Moore, '22; Osborn, '03; Pearse, '21 ; Pratt, '23; Surface, '06; Smith, '03; Smith 

 and Harron, '04; Stafford, "04; Washburn, '86; Wetmore, '24: Wilson, '04, '07a, 

 '11, '15, '16, '19; Wright and Allen, '13. 



Ameiurus natalis (LeSueur). Yellow Bullhead. Apparently not particu- 

 larly abundant in Oneida Lake, but is probably often confused with the Common 

 Bullhead, from which it may be distinguished by its decidedly yellowish color, 

 broader and more compressed caudal peduncle and longer anal fin, which has about 

 25 rays and a nearly straight ventral mar.^in. Uulilis has called our attention to 

 the fact that this species has pale barbels, making it easy to distinguish. 



Breeding Habits and Life History. This species is not well known. Wallace 

 Craig found it spawning in May in Illinois, according to Forbes and Richardson 

 ('09, p. 186) ; and Richardson ('13, p. 410) records finding the fish with ripe 

 spawn in May and June. Fowler ('17, p. 33) writes: "The spawning habits of 

 the yellow cat (Ameiurus natalis) are similar to those of the common catfish. The 

 nest is a hollow or small excavation usually but little larger than the fish, or it 

 may be situated in a hole or burrow. If a burrow is used it may extend from 

 an inclined depth of two feet. It is excavated as a nest by the labor of both 

 sexes. The spawning season is of about two weeks extent or from May 15 to 

 June I." Mr. R. E. Van Dusen, who has found the burrow-like nests of this 

 species in western New York, noticed that often small roots from the surrounding 

 vegetation would be left in the burrow, and frequently served as an anchorage for 

 the yellowish-white adhesive eggs. The latter are deposited usually to the extent 

 of about 300 to 700 in a nest. The male guards and broods the young, and, when 

 the latter leave the nest, cares for his charges for some time. Wright and Allen 

 ('13, p. 4) give the breeding season at Ithaca, N. Y.. as May to June 20th, the 

 nest being made under boards, in cans and under crockery. Forbes and Richard- 

 son ('09, p. 186) give the maximum weight of this species as from I'S to 2 

 pounds. 



Habitat. Bean ('02, p. 27_' 1 stales that it is "most abundant in sluggish 

 streams," and Hankin.son { 'oS, p. joSi. that it ■'smned generally frequent in the 

 pond-weed zone, from which it went imo shallow water at night." Small indi- 

 viduals were common in shallow water in dense vegetation. Forbes and Richard- 

 son ('09, p. 185) thus de.scribe the habitat : "It is commonest in creeks, and next in 

 lowland lakes. ... In local distribution it contrasts in an interesting way 

 with the brown bullhead, A. nebttlosns, which is much the commonest in lakes and 

 ponds, and comparatively scarce in creeks." Hankin.son ('13. p. loS) remarks 

 that in Illinois "large numbers of the very young of this species are often found in 

 small creeks ; the adults prefer larger streams." Evermann and Clark ( '20. Vol. 

 I, p. 324) found the fish over soft bottom in Lake ^Maxinkuckce, usually in water 

 from 5 to 15 feet deep. In the autunni the young a]>i)cared to he fond of hiding 

 under logs and stones in shallow water. 



