BIOLOGICAL 105 



prevent sediment settling. During this time he shows 

 remarkable bravery in defending his charges and will 

 drive away any fish regardless of size. 



The eggs hatch, on an average, in twelve days de- 

 pending on the temperature of the water. The fry, 

 which are almost invisible the first few days, hover over 

 the nest for from forty-eight to sixty hours rising and 

 falling as the surface water warms and cools. Later 

 the proud father leads his numerous flock to the weed 

 beds and leaves them to fend for themselves. Here be- 

 gins an existence that cannot help but breed brave, 

 strong, lusty fishes. They are not only pursued by ene- 

 mies of all sorts but soon develop a fierce cannibalism 

 and prey upon one another. Needless to say, those 

 that survive are extremely fit and it is this cruel, fierce 

 youth that produces the doughty warriors that we all 

 love to engage in battle. 



The young fishes feed upon the minute organisms 

 found in all suitable bass waters, chief of which are 

 daphnia, cyclops and other Crustacea and larvae. 

 The little fellows that survive attain the fingerling 

 stage, three to six inches, by Autumn and are almost a 

 pound in weight the following year. Thereafter they 

 are said to gain a pound a year but I believe this esti- 

 mate to be excessive. They continue growing until 

 they reach the average maximum which is between five 

 and six pounds. Under very favorable conditions they 

 will exceed this weight but not as often as anglers sup- 

 pose. In one lake in New York a number of speci- 

 mens have been caught weighing up to 10 pounds. In 



