No.419] HABITS OF AMEIURUS NEBULOSUS. 913 
made to find the nests, they were unsuccessful until June 8, 
1896, when three nests were found in Fowler Lake, Wis. Two 
of these were in pieces of stovepipe, the third in an old pail. 
The nests were in clear water, near a bold, rocky shore, and at 
a depth of four or five feet; all contained embryos, and each 
was guarded by a parent fish, — which one I did not ascertain. 
On the following day, in searching for other nests, I raised a 
small piece of tin pipe and was surprised to find a pair within. 
Through the raising of the pipe they became so wedged that it 
was impossible for either to get free. They had not yet begun 
spawning, although the eggs were so ripe that they were easily 
extruded by slight pressure. Artificial fertilization was again 
tried, but was only partially successful. A small percentage of 
the eggs segmented, most of which died before the embryos 
appeared. 
During the month of. June, 1898, I chanced to camp near 
Mud Lake, Mich., and learned from the fishermen that the lake 
abounded in large bullheads. An extended search was made 
on June 9, 10, and 11, and we had almost given up the search 
when one of my companions found a nest in a small bay with 
shallow, sandy shoals. Soon a dozen or more were found along 
this sandy shoal, and in a depth of water not exceeding three 
or four inches. They were usually concealed beneath logs, 
stumps, or boards, which lay against the bank. One would 
often observe a slight depression, and upon turning the shelter- 
Ing object would find the pair engaged in spawning or watching 
over the freshly laid eggs. In two nests which were found 
beneath logs on June 11, the parent fishes were moving about 
in the small sheltered excavation. The eggs were removed in 
each case ; those of one lot were in early cleavage, while those 
in the other were in late gastrula. Both nests were visited 
on the following day, but the fishes were no longer present. 
Another nest, in which the eggs were in late gastrulation 
Stages, was uncovered and left exposed. When visited on the 
next morning neither fish nor eggs were found. I suspect 
that the eggs are devoured by the parent fish when the nests 
are too much disturbed, as is known to be the case with some 
of the Amphibia. I have, on several occasions, found eggs 1n 
