American Fisheries Society. 63 
is not cleaned off prior to the deposit of the eggs but during the 
efforts of the fish while spawning. The gravel and small stones 
are also loosened at the same time and carried down stream where 
they form a mound or ridge a few feet below the point of depos- 
it. This ridge probably plays a very important part in the 
fertilization of the eggs by causing them to collect in the water 
just in front. As soon as the eggs are deposited they drift down 
stream over the bottom and come to rest in front of the ridge. 
In spawning the female moves up to the place of deposit, turns 
on her side, and with a flopping motion ejects a portion of her 
egos; she then moves off and the male takes her place and ejects 
a portion of his milt. By the time the milt is ejected the eges 
have drifted down stream to or almost to the mound. The milt 
is also carried down stream and is brought to rest at the mound, 
where it comes in contact with the eggs. If the eggs did not 
collect at the ridge very few would ever come in contact with the 
milt, as the current would carry the milt away before it was 
thoroughly mixed with the water. As the female deposits but 
a small portion of her eggs at a time, and the spawning extends 
over a period of several days, each time she deposits her eggs 
more gravel and more sand are loosened and drift down to the 
mound, covering the eggs previously laid and usually killing 
them. Practically all the eggs on the several nests examined 
were just in front of the mound or ridge; some were lying in 
plain view upon the bottom and were picked up in small skaff 
nets. They were very young, still slippery, and had evidently 
just been deposited. 
By moving the gravel in front of the ridge other eggs were 
uncovered, which in most cases had passed the slippery stage. 
Practically all of the eggs thus’ uncovered were dead when found, 
having been killed probably by the gravel washing upon them 
while in the tender stage or smothered by not getting a current 
of water. A few eggs were found behind the ridge, having ev- 
idently passed over the top. 
The rate of fertilization was much better than had been 
expected, at least fifty per cent, but practically all were dead 
when found. 
The small increase from natural reproduction is very likely 
due to the high rate of mortality after fertilization, and not to 
