Oneida I.,ihr I-'islics 499 



539- 543' 54^'). 'i"'' th<^^<^ were 1V4 to j'/i inches lon^. It ajjpcars that these were 

 of the same generation as those of the Septemlwr, 1915, collection with the addi- 

 tional growth of ten or more months including a winter. KmlKxly ("13. p. 227) 

 gives these figures on the growth of the young: at five months, average length is 

 I 'I. inches; at one year 2 inches : at two years. 3 inches. 



Mvermann and Clark ("20. p. yjo) found the Rock liass at l-ike Ma.xin- 

 knckee to l)e one of the earliest s]«wners. from altout May 15th to June 15th. 

 The nest is among rushes in shallow water, or it is ])lace(l beside a stick, stake, 

 rock or similar object. The nest is made in clean coarse sand or fine gravel and 

 is eight or nine inches in diameter. The young seem to grow rajiidly in 1-ake 

 Maxinkuckee. tho-e <>l the year taken July 13 averaging 1. 15 inches in total 

 length. 



Hahitat. Rock Mass ajjpear to la- very generally distriliute<l in ( >neida 1-akc. 

 but in shallow water at least they certainly prefer areas with much vegetation and 

 rocky bottoms. They dwell in and about patches of Diantlura. Suf/illaria. Ctilainiis, 

 and the like. Our large.st collection of R(Kk Hass ( Xo. 539) which contained 

 twenty small fish al)out two and one-half inches long, was ma<le along. the shore of 

 Dunham Island where there was an abundance of filamentous algae growing on 

 the bottom stones. The species is probably common in deep water. The trap- 

 nets that we saw lifted on Sept. 2. I<>15. brought uj) si.x large e.xamples of 

 this fish ( Xos. 144. 145 I. These were taken in twelve to sixteen feet of water, off 

 Constantia. where the bottom was rocky. They seem to fre<pient the larger streams 

 entering the lake and apjx'ar to lie common in Chittenango Creek. We found them 

 also in Douglas Creek, but not in the large collections we made in .^criki Creek 

 ( No. 75). nor in the other small creeks examined. 



Mi-an ('1)3. p. 4(*)) says of its habitat: "In February and March this fish 

 frt(|uenls the mouths of small streams, and in summer it seeks shady places umler 

 high banks or projecting rocks. ... It thrives where there is not nuich cur- 

 rent. . . . It is as conuuon in lakes and jMinds as in the streams. Sluggish. 

 j)ure. dark water suit> it liest." Nash ( 'tiS. p. 83) considers its usual haunts to U- 

 dark holes in streams or lakes, where ;i<|ualic vegetation flourishes, and it is often 

 fouml in considerable innnbers .iImiuI <l<Kks or timl>er work that slwle the water. 



(ioiHle (03, p. '(8) states the species keeps much alxiut sunken logs and nnits. 

 Jordan and Kvermann (03. j). 33<> » give the following as to its hahitat: "It is 

 found not only in rivers, but also in the creeks and smaller streams. It j>refers 

 clear. c<k>1 water, and is therefore least abundant in liayous an<l shallow, muddy 

 lakes. In the l.ikes it will Ik- fouml alwiut patches of I'oliiiiiin/iloii or other a<|uatic 

 vegetation. In the streams it ntost delights to dwell in the «|uiet water of deep 

 holes where there are large Imuldcrs among which some water plants are growing, 

 or alM>vit old slumps or logs where the water is three to six or eight feet deep." 



l-,vermann and (lark ("20. p. 3S7 1 write that it prefers clear. ohiI water and 

 that (|>. 3S<)| it is pretty generally distributed throughout the lake; but it is usually 

 found in greatest numU-rs alMnit the patches of l'oUiino</floii in five to fiftwn feet 

 of water. The youtv,: were found in and about |>atchcs of .SVrV/>M.< and lilrocluiris 

 and of Cltiini an<l ' wenr frequently rakc<l up in winter near shore, 



among wee<ls. 



