496 Roosevelt Wild Life Annals 



Pearse ('18, p. 260) examined the food of nine Common Sunfish from lakes 

 near Madison, Wisconsin, which measured from 4^^ to about 7>^ inches. Insects, 

 crustaceans, and snails were the principal food. Leeches, freshwater sponges, 

 plants — incktding algae — were other material recognized. Henshall ('03, p. 70) 

 notes that it feeds on insects and their larvae, minute crustaceans, and is especially 

 fond of eggs and fry of other species. Krecker ('19, p. 446) found Chironomiis 

 larvae, beetles and filamentous algae in one of these sunfish. Wilson ('20a, p. 

 227) records it as feeding on dragon-fly nymphs, and gives ]\Iuttkowski's record of 

 Enallagma hageni in the stomach of three specimens taken near Madison, Wiscon- 

 sin. AMlson also gives H. C. Schradieck's notes on the examination of 173 sunfish 

 averaging one inch in length, taken near Fairport, Iowa (I.e., p. 228). Odonata 

 composed 34 per cent of the food contents. Sibley ('22, p. 67) notes a preference 

 for snails, but that a great variety of insects and other organisms are taken by 

 the fish. DeRyke ('22, pp. 34, 39) gives in tabular form the food contents of 

 fourteen Common Sunfish from Winona Lake, Indiana. Snails were the most 

 important item, but insects including chironomid larvae were present in con- 

 siderable amounts. 



Evermann and Clark ('20, Vol. i, p. 407) found the food of the Pumpkinseed 

 at Lake iMaxinkuckee to be nearly the same as that of the other sunfishes there. 

 The common isopod, Asellus, was the principal food found in spring specimens. 

 Thin-shelled snails and minnows, darters, leeches, sponges, insect larvae, ostracods, 

 water mites, crawfish and dragon-fly nymphs were other items. J- P- ^loore 

 ('22. p. 42-45) tabulates the character of the food of 224 Common Sunfi.shes 

 colkcKd in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the Palisades Interstate Park of New 

 York. These were principally young, measuring from 18 mm to 97 mm hut 

 mostlv under 80 mm. The following was the result: mosquitoes in all stages, 

 9% ; chironomid larvae and pupae with some other Diptera, 33^;; ; all other insects, 

 14%: crustaceans, chiefly entomostracans, iS% ; mollusks, 7%; vertebrates, 4%; 

 all other animal matter, (V', : plant matter, 5%; silt and debris, 4%. He says: 

 "The great diversity and richness of the dietary are only partially apparent, how- 

 ever, and it would seem that anything that is edible and obtainable is eaten." 

 Greelev ('27, p. 63) found the food of a small Common Sunfish to be 13 cbiroiioniid 

 larvae and one amphipod {Hyalclla knickcrhoekeri). 



Distribution Records. We made the following collectiims in sliall"w water 

 (under four feet in depth), nio.stly with minnow seines and niinudw tra])s: 

 No. 5. South Bay: Nos. 75 and 76, Scriba Creek: Nos. 79 and 81. Jdhnsdu's I'.ay ; 

 No. 83, East Johnson's Ray: Nos. 87 and 88, Chittenango Creek : Xo. 1)4, I'.rewer- 

 ton; Xo. 100, Ladd's Bay: No. 113, Big Bay Creek; No. 116, Little Bay Creek: 

 No. T20, Big Bay; No. 121. Ice House Bay; No. 122, Shaw's Bay; No. 124. 

 Fairchild Bay; Nos. 131 and 138, Big Bay; No. 142, Frederick Creek: No. 305, 

 Brewerton ; No. 309. Lower South Bay; No. 314, Brewerton; No. 403, East of 

 Shackelton Point: No. 422, East Mathew's Bay: No. 425, Dakin Bay; No. 470, 

 Cleveland; No. 475, Long Point Peninsula: Nos. 490 and 491. Three Mile Bay; 

 Nos. 500 and 502, Lewis Point Bay; No. 515, Fish Creek; No. 523, Short Point 

 Bav : No. 53fS. near Frenchman's Island ; No. 539. near Dunham's Island ; No. 347, 

 Cliittenangii Creek: Xo. ':,J7. 'I'hree Mile Bay: No. 591, Sylvan Beach; No. 603, 



