126 



THE AMERICAN NATURALIST [Vol. XL 



or small groups. From this fact and others to be recorded later 

 it is inferred that this is the mating season. 



At times they seem to congregate in large numbers. Milner 

 (74, p. 62) states that "Mr. George Clark of Ecorse, Mich., had 

 a minnow-seine fitted to the bag of a sweep-net, and at one haul 

 took two thousand of the 'water-lizards.' Estimating the extent 

 that the net had passed over, he calculated the average number 

 of 'lizards,' to each square rod, to be four." Milner again states 

 that "a fisherman at Evanston, 111., a few years ago had nine 

 hundred hooks set in the lake, and in one day took from these 

 five hundred lizards." 



Holbrook says that "they are seldom taken except in the months 

 of April and May." Kneeland states that "they are rarely if 

 ever seen except during the winter." The \vriter has repeatedly 

 taken them through the ice on set lines during the months of 

 January and February. Reese also reports having taken them 

 through the ice in February. While there are no recorfis showing 

 that they are taken in all the winter months there is but little 

 doubt that they are more or less active throughout the winter, 

 a fact which indicates the absence of a period of hibernation. 



Necturus moves from place to place at night and rests quietly 

 beneath boards, logs, or stones during the day. In aquaria they 

 avoid the sunlight, and retire if possible to a shaded portion and 

 always seek concealment. Their movement in the water is slow 

 and is effected by walking, in which act the diagonally opposite 

 legs move in unison. When disturbed they move with celerity 

 through a vigorous lateral motion of the broad and powerful tail, 

 with_the feet closely applied to the body and motionless. They 

 never swim long distances, at most a few yards, then seek con- 

 cealment either in the mud or beneath some object. 



One is rarely fortunate enough to get a glimpse of them during 

 the day; they seem to be extremely sensitive and disappear at 

 the slightest disturbance of the water, such as that caused by 

 the approach of a boat. If they are undisturbed, one usually 

 sees the head protruding from beneath the concealing object. 

 The animal thus presents a curious appearance 

 gills moving gracefully to and fro. When they are disti 

 the gills change from their bright red to a dusky color 

 at once drawn down tightly against the neck. 



object. 



