80 Conservation Department 



never come to the surface of the water. Sometimes two fishes 

 would be working on one plant, each apparently unconscious of 

 the other's presence. At intervals a fish would remain motionless, 

 except for the slowly waving fins, and then suddenly dart off to a 

 new clump of Chara, More detailed observations of the feeding 

 habits of the little carp were obtained from fish living in aquaria 

 and the artificial pens at Clough's bay. The bottom of the 

 aquarium was covered with fine sand and clay rich in organic 



Flooded land along old channel of Seneca 

 river, habitat of spawning carp 



material. Within a few days the surface showed numerous small 

 pits. These were made by the young carp which often take a 

 position forming an angle of about 90° with the bottom and with 

 the tip of the snout in the sand. Next a cloud of sand is seen 

 passing out of the opercular opening. Sometimes this is all that 

 happens and the fish proceeds to swim about in the aquarium ; but 

 at other times the fish takes a position horizontal to the bottom 

 and works the jaws repeatedly as if chewing, the jaws opening 

 and closing from 12 to 18 times according to some of our records. 

 After this chewing, the fish swims around. There is still another 

 feeding habit of the young carp in aquaria that has been interest- 



