130 'J'hirli/sirlh Ainninl Mrrlim/ 



iiuiiilicr liv any iiicIIkkIs of li.-li calcliiii^ lliat will pi'ovc circc- 

 live and lo ivsldiv llic food sMpplv l.v iiil i-odiiciii- oihcr .-pccics. 

 ir iHiiiicrous adult yellow |ici-cli arc addcil their voun-i- will 

 contrJInile lo the food of llic l.ass. and ollici' lar-c species l-:x- 

 pei'imcnts Jiave shown that li^hes slnnled I'n.in overcrowd in,*,^ 

 ai'e not necessarily pei'nianenl dwai'l's. hut will attain a lai'.iici' 

 si/e if well Ted or removed to nioiv favorable waters. No (islio 

 could ))(■ more stunted and worthless than iho-e now swarniin;; 

 in the lakes of Central Park, yet we have succeeded in doubling 

 the size of such fishes in two years. Stunted European rudd, 

 transferred from Central Park to Prospect Park, began develop- 

 ing, and later, when we seined them out for exliil)ition at the 

 Arpiai'iuni. it was found tliat tlieir size com])a red favoi'ablv with 

 that which tlu'y attain in Europe. 



All ponds, whether natural or artificial, containing fool- 

 fishes shoidd be stocked with lu'ook-niinnows, shiners, chuljs, 

 freshwater killifish or other small s])ecies to constitute a food 

 sujiply. The killifish and other small species, it may he noticed 

 in p)assing are useful in small ornamental ])onds in (K'stroying 

 the larvae of mosquitoes. 



The full use of the fish crop of a large natural pond or lake 

 can seldom be secured by ordinary fishing. Tt is necessary that 

 seines and trap-nets be used. Experience has proved that such 

 ponds usually contain many large fishes which will not take the 

 hook. Tlu' introduction of new adult stock may be desirable in 

 an old pond where there has been in-l)reeding, but overstocking 

 is tho main trouble, the remedies for wdiich are thinning out and 

 re-estahlishing the food suyt])ly. 



Owing to the customary jireference for "'game fishes," many 

 excellent pond species, such as rock bass, calico bass, yellow 

 perch, white perch, long-eared and blue-gilled sunfish and cat- 

 fish, have been overlooked. Other kinds such as the warmouth 

 or the white bass, inhabiting waters of the south or middle west, 

 are erpudly desirable. All of these fishes increase rapidly, take 

 the hook readily and are good fishes. Tliey will multiidy in 

 favorable waters with less care than probably any other native 

 fishes. With the exception of the catfish, they will take the ar- 

 tificial fly and afford good s])ort. They are of considerable com- 

 mercial im])ortance since according to government statistics, the 



