Adhesive Eggs. 219 



of knowledge has been gained. It may be accepted 

 that up to the time the young black bass is able to 

 forage on his own account fishculture is a baffled art 

 and of no account in the multiplication of this species. 

 Up to that time dependence must be placed in natural 

 spawning and hatching. 



Black bass which have lost the shyness and fright 

 incident to capture and transportation become do-, 

 mesticated, readily spawn, and rear their young in 

 artificial ponds ; and only by this method can the fish- 

 culturist expect to secure any considerable number of 

 young bass. They may be allowed to spawn in the 

 stock pond, from one-quarter of an acre or larger in 

 size, or an annex spawning pond may be used. Dr. 

 Henshall has given the best description of a bass nest : 

 "Slightly concaved, with a diameter twice the length 

 of the fish." Gravel is undoubtedly excellent ma- 

 terial for spawning nests, though by no means a neces- 

 sity, for I have frequently seen bass spawn on earth. 

 I am informed that the artificial bass nests devised 

 some three years ago have not proved an unqualified 

 success. 



The spawning season varies for almost every State, 

 and frequently in the same State. Moreover, the sea- 

 son is rarely the same in any one locality. My ob- 

 servations lead me to think that the bass will not be 

 found nesting before the ground becomes warm 

 enough for gardening purposes, though occasional in- 

 stances of spawning on much lower temperature have 

 been noted. The period of incubation averages about 

 nine days, and the alevin stage occupies about six 

 days more. Shortly after the food sac is completely 

 absorbed the school, heretofore guarded by the parent 

 fish, disperses in search of natural food — daphnia, cy- 



