56 FISH CULTTJB© 



ing numbers. The young fish grow very rap- 

 idly, and by September it is a joy to behold 

 them in their shimmering opal coats. 



Artificial Rearing of Sun-fish Fry. — Unless 

 a cnlturist wishes to be very particular and save 

 every possible fish, it will not be found neces- 

 sary to surround a nest of sun-fish fry with a 

 crib or pound, but he may allow them to scatter 

 and dwell in the same pond with the old fish 

 until ready to be disposed of. This method has 

 one disadvantage in that the culturist can 

 scarcely give more than a wild guess as to how 

 many fish he is rearing. If he impounds fry, 

 and removes the advanced fry to ponds by them- 

 selves, he may make a reasonable estimate of 

 what he has. 



Fish so removed will grow more rapidly than 

 when left in the breeding-ponds, especially if 

 the fry-ponds have a good supply of aquatic 

 plants which invite abundant plankton. In the 

 early days of sun-fish life, the common, long- 

 eared species seems to grow more rapidly 

 than the bluegill. It is not until after it is 

 about three months old that the bluegill starts, 

 and then it speedily surpasses its more bril- 



