504 Roosevelt Willi Life .Iniials 



Breeding Habits and Life History. Calico Bass are similar in breeding habits 

 to other centrarchids in that they make nests and guard them. Richardson ('13, 

 p. 41 1 ) gives an account of one of these found near Havana, Illinois : "May 2, 191 1, 

 a nest of this species was found in water 10 inches deep near the north end of 

 Danhole's field. It was hollowed out under the leaves of a water-parsnip, and sur- 

 rounded by smartweed and bog rush (Jitnnis). Some of the eggs were adhering 

 to fine roots in the bottom of the nest, hut most (if them were on the leaves of the 

 water-parsnip, at a level of two to four inches above the bottom of the nest. The 

 nest was cuank-d by a male six inches long, who was so gentle that we could reach 

 out a hand tn within three feet of him Ijefore he moved away. Eggs taken to the 

 laboratory hatched May third and fourth . . . the great transparency of the 

 new fry, along with their small size, make it very difficult to see them in an 

 aquarium." \\'right and Allen ('13. p. 5) give the breeding time for the Ithaca 

 regiim a^ Mav anfl June, and state that the nest is on gravelly or sandy bottom. 

 Smith ( '07. p. 231 ) states that "The mated fish prepare their nest, and zealously 

 guard their eggs and Ijrood in the same manner as the lilack basses, remaining with 

 the f rv until the latter begins to take food ; at times they have lieen observed to 

 show great pugnacity in defence of their progeny." 



Pearse ('19, p. n) observed about a dozen male crappies on nests in a lagoon 

 of Lake Wingra, near Madison, Wisconsin, on May 20. 1916. The nests were 

 bare places on the bottom, adjacent to aquatic vegetation, and were about two feet 

 below the surface. Four were caught and were nearly ripe, not yet shedding milt. 

 Nests were also found elsewhere in the shallows of the lake on the same day. Nine 

 males which were caught showed that the}- were feeding actively among shore plants, 

 and "this condition continued throughout the spawning season." Eggs were not 

 found. The fish began spawning when the water was at a temperature near 68° F. 



The average weight of the fish is said to be about a pound, with a maximum 

 weight of nearly three pounds (Bean. '03, p. 463). Henshall ('19, p. 75) says 

 that the species prefers clear water and that it spawns in spring or early summer, 

 nesting in sand or gravel or on a fat rnck. The largest specimens wc saw from 

 Oneida Lake were market specimens ( Xn. ,;(!3 ) nine inches long. 



According to Pear.se ('i8a, p. 3'><>). it lirceds during July and August, when 

 the water is warm, and apparently suffers mi incimvenience in a shallow lake which 

 warms u]) rapidly in spring. 



The spawning season was found by lAerniann and Clark (■20. p. 386) to be 

 the last half of June and the early jiari nf Jul\ . Xests somewhat circular in form 

 and eight or nine inches in diameter were placed on small ridges in clean patches 

 of sand stirninndcd bv Charu. Tbc\ were nsn;ill\- cumposed of coarse sand and 

 fine gravel, with (iccisicmallv a few deail slielK nf \'i:-ipara contcctoidcs. So far 

 as observed they were not close to each other, lieing usually five or six feet apart. 



Embodv ('15, p. 227) gives the following on the growth of the young: At 

 five months old, average length is 2 to 2>< inches; at one year, 3 to 4 inches; at 

 two years. 5 to U inches. 



Hahihil. The species ajijjcars tn jirefer areas with much ;i(|u;itic vegetatinn. 

 according to Hankinson's observatinns in Illinois an.l Michigan. Twu of the three 

 we took in Oneida Lake liad t\|m;il enviiMnnients. one having been caught in the 



