64 THE SMALL-MOUTHED BASS 



spots enclosed by it are then thrown into strong relief. The 

 fish is then said to be mottled. The mottling takes place 

 not only under sexual excitement, but when the fish is sud- 

 denly transferred from warm to cold water. Not only are 

 the spots on the body of the female thus brought out with 

 great distinctness under sexual excitement, but the spots 

 themselves usually become darker. The female under 

 sexual excitement thus appears darker than usual and 

 usually darker than the male." 



" While the colour change has been in progress the fish 

 have been moving slowly about over the nest, the male bit- 

 ing the female frequently, though gently, on the opercle, 

 cheek and corner of the mouth. During most of the time 

 the female swims slowly on her side in a circle. Frequently 

 she floats motionless, partly or wholly turned on her side, 

 and at such times the male often lies beside her. Every 

 two or three minutes she takes an upright position and rubs 

 her belly against the stones, while at the same time she 

 mo\es slowly forward with a deliberate bending of the body 

 first to one side and then to the other." 



"Now the female is seen to leave the nest. She goes 

 to a distance of fifteen or twenty feet, but is pursued by the 

 male and brought back. Now two strange males pass and 

 are at once set upon by the male, who drives them off, while 

 the female waits in the nest. One of them returns and 

 enters the nest with the waiting female, but is at once \igor- 

 ously repelled by her mate." 



"At 1.20 {i.e., after 50 minutes) the movements first 

 described are still in ]:)rogress, but no eggs appear to have 

 been laid. The male is never seen to elevate the gill covers 

 or to pose before the female. When biting her he usually 

 approaches from behind, and lies at her side or below her. 

 Frequently the two stop and lie quiet, side by side, the 

 female turned partly on her side, the male upright. Such 



