2 50 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



known as a "killing" bait. I have found no evidence that the dogfish eats fish, or 

 more accurately some fishes, after they are dead. Dead perch and sunfish remain 

 untouched, even in regions where Amia is very abundant. 



II. Spawning. 



The dogfish deposits its eggs in more or less definitely prepared nests.* These 

 often occur very abundantly in the reedy shallows in the margins of the lakes. A 

 particular region of the shore w.ill often be given marked preference: in one case 

 observed by the writer eleven nests occurred within a radius of fifty feet, and seven 

 of these within a radius of fifteen feet. The spawning season, like that of all fishes, 

 varies somewhat from year to year. In Wisconsin, where the fish have been most 

 accurately observed, the height of the spawning occurs about the middle of May. It, 

 however, varies in this locality from the first day of April until the early part of June. 

 There is usually a maximum period of spawning, as in the case of other fishes. 



The actual nesting habits of the fish have not as yet been examined in sufficient 

 detail. There is good evidence to believe that the fishes divide into spawning parties, 

 as in the case of the garpike, Lepidosteus, each party consisting of a female and 

 several males. In a single instance the writer has seen three fishes on a nest after 

 spawning had commenced. Whitman, on the other hand, maintains, also from a 

 single observation, that but a single male is present. The eggs are scattered over the 

 nests thickly, in number varying from a few hundreds to possibly a hundred thousand. 

 A single male tends the nest, keeps away intruders, and by vigorous breathing 

 produces a current of water which probably retards the growth of fish fungus. The 

 fish stands guard, sometimes for hours motionless^save for its movements in balancing 

 and breathing; at other times it appears restive, turning about in the nest, making 

 short detours, and returning by the "runway" which it provides. A favorite 

 position is for the fish to lie in the "runway" with its head projecting over the nest. 

 It usually remains in the shaded side of the nest, but appears occasionally in bright 

 sunlight, so that it can be seen quite a distance away. Such a fish, for example, has 

 been photographed and is shown in the two cuts on the following page. These 

 pictures clearly demonstrate that Amia does not hesitate to show itself in the 

 sunlight, as Fiilleborn early maintained. The outline of the nest in this case was 

 clearly seen from the surface, and all of the "supernatant" rushes must have been 

 brushed aside, or even removed by the fish, since the nest was photographed as it first 

 appeared. 



* The writer has obtained good evidence that inconvenient rushes are bitten off when the fish 

 prepares the nest. This is also noted by Reighard. 



