134 



BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Immature insects, consisting of dragon-fly nymphs and midge larvas, had been ingested by 

 these fish. The length of the intestine is slightly over one-half the total length of the fish. 



38. Lepomis humilis (Girard) 

 Orange-spotted stjnfish 

 Brytlus humilis Girard, Proc, Ac. Nat. Soi., Phila., 1857, p. 201. 



The orange-spotted sunfish is one of the most brilliantly colored of our fresh-water fishes. It 

 is so small in size that it has no commercial value, rarely exceeding a length of inches. It 

 was not taken very often, and it does not seem to be very numerous locally, although it may have 

 been overlooked at times because of its diminutive size. 



An examination of the stomach contents of 15 individuals indicated a varied animal diet, 

 consisting of the water boatman Corixa, midge larvae, minnows, and minor quantities of miscella 

 neous materials. The intestine is from 43 to 45 per cent of the total length of the fish. 



The season of reproduction evidently is an extended one, as ripe fish were found from June to 

 September. They were less frequent, however, toward the latter part of this period. A fish of 

 60 millimeters contained 1,200 nearly ripe eggs, which was probably above the average, for two 

 others of approximately the same length had only about one-half as many. 



Twenty-four of these fish were collected, ranging in total length from 58 to 75 millimeters 

 (2J4 to 3 inches). A borrow pit on the Itta Bena Road furnished most of these specimens, while 

 others are from a borrow pit at Money and from Roebuck Lake. 



39. Lepomis heros (Baird and Girard) 

 Pomotis heros Baird and Girard, Proc, Ac. Nat. Sci., Phila., 1854, p. 26. 



We refer to this species a single specimen, 70 millimeters (2% inches) in length, taken from a 

 bayou at Sidon. The specimen in alcohol is rather plain brownish in color; base of scales slightly 

 lighter, forming faint pale stripes along the rows of scales; opercular spot on bony part of opercle, 

 with pale margin; pectoral fins are plain translucent; all the other fins are dusky with broad, 

 pale margins. Dorsal formula is X, 11; anal III, 10; scales 37. The pectoral fins are rather 

 short and not very pointed, reaching only opposite origin of anal, 1.4 in head. The gill rakers 

 are very short, equaling only about one-fifth the length of the eye. 



40. Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede) 



LaRGEMOTJTH BLACK BASS 

 Labrus salmoides Lacfepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss., IV, 1802, p. 716. 



This bass is represented by 16 specimens, ranging from 30 to 400 millimeters (XYh to \b z /i 

 inches) in length, all taken in a borrow pit containing a profuse growth of the primrose willow on 

 the Greenwood-Itta Bena Road. The species does not appear to be abundant locally, and its 

 congener, the small-mouth bass, was not seen. Its absence from the collection has little significance, 

 however, as collecting operations were confined very largely to sluggish and standing water, an 

 environment not frequented by the smallmouth bass. 



An examination of the ingested material of 16 individuals showed a predominance of fish, 

 supplemented by insects. Gambusia was preyed upon almost to the exclusion of other fish, 

 probably because of its abundance in the particular pond where the bass were taken and because 

 of its unwary disposition. Fundulus kompi, which simulates Gambusia in size and abounds in 

 the pond where the bass were taken, had not been utilized. Six out of nine young bass, ranging 

 in length from 30 to 47 millimeters, had eaten Gambusia, with May-fly nymphs, midge larvae, 

 and immature dragon flies less in evidence. The mature bass had taken aquatic beetles and 

 crustaceans in addition to minnows. 



Spawning is reported to take place in May and June in Illinois (Forbes and Richardson, 1908, 

 p. 269). Seven adults collected early in June had passed the reproductive period. 



