490 Roosevelt Wild Life Annuls 



"They do not seize the hook with a rush as does the rcxrk hass, but quietly 

 suck it in, and the fight does not begin until the fish finds that it is hooked, but 

 from then on the fight is of the most vigorous kind, and is kept up to the end 

 with a persistency and viciousness that make the Bluegill 'the gamest of all fishes 

 for its size.' " 



Nash ('08, p. 86) considers the Bluegill in proportion to its size a fish of 

 greater fighting qualities than those of any other fresh-water fish we have. 



Hankinson has caught many Bluegills in Michigan lakes and has rarely suc- 

 ceeded in getting them with any other bait than earthworms or insects, and never 

 with minnows or fish flesh. Grasshoppers and crickets are readily taken, but are 

 quickly pulled from the hook by little Bluegills that are commonly associated with 

 the larger ones on fishing grounds. In deep water (25 to 30 feet), in late summer, 

 only the large fish seem to be present and here crickets make an excellent bait. 

 They should be used, however, with a small sinker, like a BB shot, and a very 

 small float, — the smaller the better — which should be adjusted so that the bait 

 is near the bottom. 



References. Baker, '16: Bean, '03: Bolen, '24: Brown, '26; Colbert, '16: 

 Embody, '15; Evermann and Clark, '20; Forbes, '80; Forbes and Richardson, 

 '09; Goode, '03; Hankinson, '08; Johnson and Stapleton, '15; Jordan and Ever- 

 mann, '03; Krecker, '19; LeFevre and Curtis, '10; Marshall and Gilbert, '05; 

 I\Ioore, '20; Nash, '08: Pearse, '15, '21; Reighard, '15: Richardson, '13; Strana- 

 han. '12, '19, '20; Wright and Allen, '13. 



Lepomis megalotis (Rafinesque). Loxg-eared Suxfish. We found this 

 species only in one part of the lake, at the source of the Oneida River at Brewerton. 

 It is probably uncommon in the lake, though little was learned of its true status. 

 Bean ('03) does not record the species for New York, and we have found no 

 records elsewhere of its occurrence in the State. Adult males are easily dis- 

 tinguished from those of other sunfish likely to occur in the region by their long 

 opercular flap. The coloration is somewhat like that of the common sunfish, 

 Euponiotis gibbosus, but is even more brilliant. The males are among the most 

 beautiful of our fresh-water fishes. 



Breeding Habits and Life History. The Long-eared Sunfish in Oneida Lake 

 was found nesting in shallow water at Brewerton, close to Coville's landing, and 

 near the mouth of Oneida River. Several nests in about a foot of water were 

 saucer-shaped depressions like the nests of other sunfish. The bottom here was 

 of fine gravel, of a character different from any other bottom material in the 

 ]ake for it had been hauled there for some construction work, probably as a 

 support for a pier. The eggs were on the bottom stones. An adult male in gaudy 

 breeding dress guarded each nest, and small companies of females were moving 

 about in the vicinity. All of the nests were found on this patch of gravel, excejit 

 one, which was in Milton Point Bay, aliout ;i niilf udrthra^t n{ this \^■M^•. This 

 one exception was situated close to the sin in- .-ind was siniil.nr tn the ni'sts fmnid 

 at Brewerton. A male was guarding if, but no eggs could be fcunid. All of these 

 nests were found on July 25. nji'i. The .ittcnding males were udi (|nite four 

 inches in length; the females wi-ir decidedly smaller, nearer three inches long. 



