Aniencan Fisheries Society 135 



attain the size of those in hirge ponds since their range and food 

 supjily are restricted. 



Feed i II (j. — If large numbers of young black bass, rock bass or 

 calico luiss are removed for safety to smaller ponds Avhere th'?y 

 may oxliaust the natural food supply, it will be necessary to 

 feed tliem. If they are jnit :n small "nursery ponds" where the\ 

 are crowded, feeding is imjierative. - The principal natural foo ■ 

 of fishc'^ is fi'^li, which should be perfectly fresh. For youn^ 

 fishes it must be cut and boned, then rubbed through a fi.ne wirv. 

 screen. Adult fishes kept in restricted quarters will also require 

 feeding. They may lie fed largely on live minnows. Among 

 the fish-foods used at the Xew A^ork aquarium, are live min- 

 nows, live shrimps, cho])i)ed fish, Ix'ef, liver and clams. It is a 

 mistake to su])pose that fishes do not require an abundance of 

 food. They may live without it but cannot grow. 



^y((^er Phdifs. — About one quarter of the ordinary ]iond 

 should be as shallow as 10 or 12 inches and ])lanted with pond- 

 weeds, such as potamogeton, jiarrots-feather (myriophyllum ), 

 Avater-celery (vallisneria), horn wort (cerato]-)hvllum) and ca- 

 bomba. Suitable plants for the purpose may be found in most 

 streams and ponds, and there are many others than those men- 

 tioned. Water plants that are satisfactory in some regions may, 

 however, not be so in others farther north or south. Water- 

 plants are necessary as shelter for young fishes, and greatly in- 

 crease the various forms of small aquatic life necessary for their 

 food. They also serve to aerate the water, which is most im- 

 portant in small and sluggish ponds. They may be planted bv 

 tying to stones and dr()]q)ing them from a l)ont, or set in the 

 ground after the water has been partially lowered. The slightly 

 greater de])ths, from one to three feet, may be ]_)lanted with 

 water-lilies, while the more extensive and deeper portions should 

 1)e ke])t clear of vegetation. If the vegetation Ijecomes too thick 

 it can us\ially be ])ulled out with a rake, Imt it i-s sometime^ 

 nccessarv to cut it with tlie scythe. Willow and other trees 

 should be ])lanted at some ])uints to furnish shade. Aquatic in- 

 sects, crustaceans and mollusks. l»red anuing pond Aveeds, con- 

 stitute no small feature of the ponds food supply. It is recorded 

 in the "American Fish Culturist," that an electric light over a 



