500 



FISHES 



Erie. It is a voracious, carnivorous Fish, preying upon other Fish 

 as well as upon fresh-water Crustaceans and Insects, very tenacious 

 of life, and of no economic value. The male is smaller than the 

 female, about 18 inches in lengTh, and is distinguished by the 

 presence of a round black spot, encircled by a margin of orange, 

 at the base of the caudal fin (Fig. 295). The female may 

 exceed 24 inches. 



Amia frequently rises to the surface, especially when the 

 water is foul, and takes in large mouthfuls of air, and it is prob- 

 able that the air is subsequently passed into the spacious cellular 

 air-bladder which acts as a lung. The breeding season, during 

 which the coloration of the Fish is more brilliant than at other 

 times, lasts from the beginning of May to June, but it may begin 

 and end somewhat earlier if the temperature be favourable. The 



Fig. 295. — The Bow-Fin {Amia calra). (From a specimen in the Cambridge 

 University Museum. ) x -J-. 



Fish makes its way from the deeper water, where it has remained 

 sluggish during the winter, to the spawning ground. This is 

 usually at the swampy end of a lake where there is an abundance 

 of aquatic herbage intersected by channels of clear water. There 

 the Fish is said to circle round until the soft weeds and rootlets 

 are bent and crushed aside, so as to leave an area having the 

 appearance of a crude form of nest,-' in which the eggs are 

 deposited. They may be found in enormous numbers adhering 

 to the leaves and rootlets of the weedy home. After oviposition 

 the male remains on guard until the young are hatched out, 

 when they appear to leave the nest in a body, still under the pro- 

 tection of their watchful parent. At all events a little later the 

 male has been observed to be accompanied by a swarm of young 

 fry, which he keeps together by circling round them. The 

 development of the eggs is remarkably rapid. From the iirst 

 cleavage of the egg to the hatching of the embryo the whole 

 ' Bashford Dean, Q.J. M.S. xxxviii. p. 413. 



