NESTS OP SUNFISH. 



but it is only the sulphur-winged grasshopper 

 arising and calling to his mate. 



This afternoon the finny tribe again attracts. 

 Up the creek they say there are no holes, few 

 fish. Up the creek I go to prove that fish can 

 there be caught. For a mile and more the bot- 

 tom of the stream is Knobstone shale, and the 

 water for the most part too shallow for even 

 the permanent home of a sunny. In one place 

 three long-eared sunfish are engaged in battle. 

 They tackle one another head on, butt and push 

 like a pair of angry bulls, sometimes nearly 

 leaping out of the water in their rushing scram- 

 bles. After a time they see me, a common en- 

 emy, and the fight is over. 



Teh rods above they or others of their kind 

 have their nests, a dozen or more close into 

 shore, in water not over five inches deep. These 

 nests are shallow saucer-like cavities a foot or 

 more in diameter, scooped out in the sand or 

 gravel. In their centers are numerous small 

 pieces of shale and rounded stones. One or two 

 of the sunfish are hovering over each nest to 

 keep away the minnows which are ever ready 

 to feed upon the eggs. When the sunfish see 

 me they dart swiftly away, but soon return to 

 attack the minnows which have taken advantage 

 of their absence to invade the nests. The 

 mother fish dashes from the middle of the nest 

 at a minnow, then back to the other side, where 



