SMALL BASS AND SUN-FISH 55 



hatdi them; but there have been instances 

 where females assisted the male in the cares 

 of parenthood. 



Care of Sun-fish Young . — ^When first hatched, 

 the fry behave very much like those of the bass ; 

 but when they reach an advanced stage and rise 

 towards the surface, they are not looked after 

 with the same solicitude by the parent fish, but 

 are discarded almost as soon as they have ab- 

 sorbed the yolk-sac. The male sun-fish is an in- 

 teresting creature at this period of his life, 

 reminding one of a bantam cock; he is as quick 

 to take offence, attack and fight, regardless of 

 the size of his antagonist. A single male will 

 frequently attack a mature bass or a huge carp, 

 with as much ferocity and confidence as a black 

 bass would chase a sun-fish were he the house- 

 holder. 



Within a brief time after they have been de- 

 serted by the parent, the young of the black bass 

 scatter, each going its solitary way ; but the sun- 

 fish cling together in schools, sometimes for two 

 or three weeks ; and in fact they may be found 

 during the entire summer in groups of vary- 



