96 NATURE'S CALENDAR 



May 10 voids its eggs. Says Henshall : "The 



mascalonge, like others of the pike fam- 

 ily, breeds in the spring, later, however, 

 than the pike or pickerel. All of the 

 pike species resort to overflowed marshes 

 and shallow, grassy streams — the pick- 

 erel during March and the mascalonge in 

 May. The pickerel thus has a start of 

 about two months, and no doubt the 

 young pickerel devour most of the mas- 

 calonge that hatch, for the spawm in 

 May, in such shallow water, is exposed 

 to the ravages of turtles, frogs, ducks, and 

 coots, and most of it is doubtless de- 

 stroyed. This seems to be a wise pro- 

 vision of nature, for, as the mascalonge 

 spawns from 100,000 to 300,000 eggs, ac- 

 cording to size, the result can be imag- 

 ined. It is, indeed, fortunate for the rest 

 of the finny tribe that the mascalonge is 

 comparatively a rare fish." 



Black bass build their nests now pre- 

 paratory to spawning. These are saucer- 

 like spaces of gravel, in shallow water, 

 constantly swept by their fins, in order 

 that their eggs, which are heavy and sink 

 to the bottom, may rest upon a clean ^sur- 

 face. " It is interesting," writes Charles 

 Hallock, "to note the pertinacity with 

 which they guard their precious charges, 

 and the vigor with which they drive 

 away depredators and intruders of all 

 kinds. They will frequently allow a 

 boat to pass over them, scarcely six 

 inches above their backs, and obstinately 



