e E. M 
AMERICAN NATURALIST. 
Vol. IV. — SEPTEMBER, 1870. — No. 7. 
CC RC: 424 95 I~ 
MUD-LOVING FISHES. 
BY CHARLES C. ABBOTT, M.D. 
MvcnH is lost to those who essay to study the habits of 
fresh-water fishes, first, by ignoring uninviting mud-holes, 
and secondly, by walking carelessly to the banks of the 
stream, and seeing nothing at first, think they are themselves 
unseen by anything inhabiting the water. Never was there 
a greater mistake! Nine times in ten, if these same streams 
be approached cautiously, and yourself concealed, you peer 
carefully into the water, you will find it tenanted. by many 
and larger fishes, than you supposed were there. Following 
out this plan, we once saw and captured a chub (Semotilus 
rhotheus) thirteen inches long, in a narrow brook of but 
six inches in depth. This fish, when the bank was carelessly 
approached, would withdraw to a deserted muskrat burrow. 
After standing quietly for a few minutes upon the bank of 
a stream that has been openly approached, one will notice 
Entered aecordinz tn Act of f% h / Dn be tha P D Clerk’a Office cf the T 
AMER. NATURALIST, VOL. IV. 49 (385) 
