THE TALE OF THE FISHES 



sure of 100 feet of water, until the penetrating chill 

 of autumn reminds it of its connubial obligations. These 

 are met the last week in October by the ascent of a 

 serried column many thousand strong to a rocky shoal 

 set in the geographical centre of the lake. Every saib- 

 ling capable of procreation seeks this spawning-bed 

 for it is the only one in the lake over which a current 

 sets toward the outlet. The constant change of water 

 implied in such a current is necessary to the life of the 

 eggs. Their healthy development depends upon aera- 

 tion. All this, the parent fish are instinctively aware of, 

 so they will not deposit eggs on any other reef no mat- 

 ter how otherwise well adapted or convenient, nor on 

 the motionless sandy bottoms. 



As the pairing-time approaches, the Sunapee fish 

 becomes resplendent with the flushes of maturing pas- 

 sion. The steel green mantle of the back and shoulders 

 now seems to dissolve into a dreamy "bloom" of ame- 

 thyst through which the daffodil spots of midsummer 

 blaze out in points of flame, while below the lateral 

 line all is dazzling orange. The fins catch the tones 

 of the adjacent parts, and pectoral, ventral, anal, and 

 lower lobe of caudal are striped with a snowy white 



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