STRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT OE LEPIDOSTEUS. 
361 
on the shoals, while out in the lake the mercury stood at 62° to 63°. The points on 
which the eggs were laid were of naked granite, which had been broken by the frost 
and heat into angular blocks of 3 to 8 inches in diameter. The blocks were tumbled 
upon each other like loose heaps of brickbats, and upon and between them the eggs 
were dropped. The points are the extremities of small capes that make out into the 
lake. The eggs were laid in water varying in depth from 2 to 14 inches. At the 
time of approaching the shoals, the Fish might be seen to rise quite often to the 
surface to take air. This they did by thrusting the bill out of the water as far as the 
corners of the mouth, which was then opened widely and closed with a snap. After 
taking the air, they seemed more able to remain at the surface. Out in the lake they 
are very timid, but once buried upon the shoals they become quite reckless as to what 
is going on about them. A few moments after being driven off, one or more of the 
males would return as if scouting. If frightened, he would retire for some time ; then 
another scout would appear. If all promised well, the females, with the attendant 
males, would come back. Each female was accompanied by from one to four males. 
Most often, a male rested against each side, with their bills reaching up toward the 
back of her head. Closely crowded together, the little party would pass back and forth 
over the rocky bed they had selected, sometimes passing the same spot half-a-dozen 
times without dropping an egg, then suddenly would indulge in an orgasm ; and, lashing 
and plashing the water in all directions with their convulsive movements, would scatter 
at the same instant the eggs and the sperm. This ended, another season of moving 
slowly back and forth was observed, to be in turn followed by another of excitement. 
The eggs were excessively sticky. To whatever they happened to touch, they stuck, 
and so tenaciously that it was next to impossible to release them without tearing away 
a portion of their envelopes. It is doubtful whether the eggs would hatch if removed. 
As far as could be seen at the time, upon or under the rocks to which the eggs were 
fastened there was an utter absence of anything that might serve as food for the young 
Fishes. 
“ Other Fishes, Bull-heads, &c., are said to follow the Bill-fish to eat the spawn. It 
may be so. It was not verified. Certainly the points under observations were un¬ 
molested. During the afternoon of the 18th of May a few eggs were scattered on 
several of the beds. On the 19th there were more. With the spear and the snare, 
several dozens of both sexes of the Fish were taken. Taking one out did not seem 
greatly to startle the others. They returned very soon. The males are much smaller 
than the average size of the females; and, judging from those taken, would seem to 
have as adults greater uniformity in size. The largest taken was a female, of 4 feet 
1-|- inch in length. Others of 2 feet 6 inches contained ripe ova. With the 19th of 
May all disappeared, and for a time—the weather being meanwhile cold and stormy— 
there were no signs of their continued existence to be met with. Nearly two weeks 
later, on the 31st of May, as stated by Mr, Henry J. Perry, they again came up, 
not in small detachments on scattered points as before, but in multitudes, on every 
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