99 



College- of Forestry 



already stated, and the Long-eared Sunfish 05 per cent, as 

 recorded by Needham. The small number of Xew York 

 fish examined indicates that there is yet much to be done 

 before the food of the fish of this great State is well known. 

 The examination of waters abounding in fish, and the 

 examination of the stomach contents of fish caught in such 

 waters, indicates that there is a close relationship between 

 the conditions favorable for shellfish and the food of the 

 fish. From a knowledge of the animals of the body of water 

 one should be able to predict, within reasonable limits, what 

 the food of a fish in a given habitat will be. In other words, 

 we should expect a definite relation between the shellfish. 

 the fish, and the environment. The accuracy of such expec- 

 tation was shown by the examination of a specimen of the 

 Pumpkinseed which was caught on a sanely bottom on which 

 lived ten species of shellfish. When dissected, the fish was 

 found to contain in its stomach the shells of eight species of 

 these shellfish. Studies of this kind will ultimately give 

 information which will be of great value and importance in 

 the culture of food and game fish. 



FOOD OF Yorxo Fisir 



Fish in general vary their food with age. Thus the 

 Common Perch passes through stages which may be called 

 infancy, youth, and adult. During the first stage only the 

 smallest kind of food is taken, and this consists of the 

 minute animals known as Water Fleas (Entomostraca), and 

 the larvae of small flies. During the second stage the water 

 fleas are eaten at first but this diet soon gives place to the 

 larvae of insects. In the last or adult stage, the food consists 

 of shellfish, crawfish, insects and their larvae, and a few 

 fishes. Many of our fish pass through these stages and it 

 will easily be understood that a knowledge of the food of all 

 stages is necessary before the species can be thoroughly 

 understood. 



