POAETQUISSINGS IN WINTER. 51 



fish, lazy suckers, and little minnows. The creek here is 

 shallow, and with a weed-choked bottom ; at this time 

 of the year, however, it is comparatively clear, as the 

 frost has long since wilted the nuphar, pontederia, sag- 

 ittaria, and nymphsea, until only blackened masses of 

 their rank summer-growth remained. Just where the 

 net was placed there was a different condition from that 

 obtaining in the immediate vicinity. It was a little ba- 

 sin, from four to five feet in depth, and fully three feet 

 deeper than the surrounding bed of the stream. This 

 deeper water was warmer than that in the shallower 

 places, and there was the added advantage of a constant 

 supply of fresh water from two lively springs which bub- 

 bled up with great energy, keeping the sand in a con- 

 stant whirl. About these springs the vegetation was 

 green, and appeared vigorous, if not really growing. 

 Here was a winter haunt of the fishes; the one that 

 first led me to study their winter life more closely than 

 heretofore ; and ever since I have found in just such 

 places a fair representation, during winter, of Poaet- 

 quissings' ichthyic fauna. 



Indeed, I doubt if hibernation is so fixed a habit 

 with any creature as is supposed. That many animals 

 can strictly hibernate is unquestionable; that they al- 

 ways do is quite another matter. I am free to say that 

 I believe the element of regularity in this matter is 

 wholly wanting. 



How quickly crows learn to know when the ice will 

 bear them ! Their keen eyes detect the first lacelike 

 tissue of frost over the creek, and the steady growth of 



