T'8 Book of the Black Bass. 



around the nest, upon their sides, ejecting the eggs or milt, 

 which sank at once to the bottom. When the fish were in 

 pairs, the edges of their bellies would be toward each other, 

 sometimes in contact, as they circled around quite close to 

 the bottom, with jerky, tremulous motions; but I never 

 saw the male pressing the spawn from the female with his 

 mouth. 



I record the following interesting item for the benefit of 

 future observers. My own opinion is that such nests are 

 constructed in lakes of considerable depth, with steep 

 shores, where suitable bottom in shallow water can not be 

 found, and the bass resort to this expedient for the pur- 

 pose of bringing the eggs within the proper distance of the 

 surface in order to obtain light and air. " Homo," of 

 Philadelphia, thus writes to " Forest and Stream :" 



" While in Grand Rapids, Mich., during my late vacation, I was 

 informed by Dr. Parker, of the State Fish Commission, and a Mr. 

 Hill, of that city, of a new feature in the habits of the black bass 

 during spawning time, which had come under the notice of those 

 gentlemen. It was that of the nest building of these fish within 

 two or three feet of the surface in ten and fifteen feet of water. 

 Mr. Hill told me he had frequently observed, at the head of some 

 lakes and ponds in Michigan, a collection of ring moss and other 

 vegetable matter, placed with apparent design on the top of brush 

 heaps which rested on the bottom of the lake and extended nearly 

 to the surface of the water. Not knowing what they were, he 

 made a critical examination and found them always guarded by 

 the bass which had constructed the nest in the same manner in 

 which they protect their ordinary nests made in the bed of the 

 stream or pond. In many cases the nests would be three or four 

 feet in diameter and larger than the top of the brush pile on 

 which they rested. This habit of the bass I have never heard of 

 before, and both Mr. Hill and Dr. Parker confessed they had never 

 seen an account of it published. It may be some of your cor- 

 respondents know of it and can give further light on the subject. 

 May it not be that some peculiar character of the bed of these 



