A total of 154 stomachs were examined for food items. Specimens 
Tess than 30 mm fed primarily on microcrustaceans and dragonfly 
naiads; those between 31 and 40 mm fed on a variety of organisms 
but predominantly crustaceans; those more than 41 mm preferred 
gastropods, dragonflies, and dipterous larvae. In winter the diet 
of all size-classes was almost exclusively microcrustaceans but 
contained some aquatic insect immature stages, possibly the food 
most readily available. 
Stomachs of 21 potential predators of several species failed to 
indicate predation on the bantam sunfish. 
All age-classes of the bantam sunfish were infested by an uni- 
dentified endoparasite throughout the year except May and June. 
An adult acanthocephalan was taken in the stomach of a fish collect- 
ed in April. No ectoparasites were found. 
When data become available on spawning, all aspects of the life 
history and ecological requirements of this species will be 
presented in detail in a manuscript presently in preparation. 
The Life History of the Stripetail Darter, 
Etheostoma kennicotti, in Big Creek 
A study of the life history of Etheostoma kennicotti in Big 
Creek, Hardin County, Illinois, was completed in June 1974 and 
has been submitted for publication in the Illinois Natural 
History Survey Biological Notes series. The expected date of 
publication is May 1975 after which copies may be obtained by 
writing to the Chief of the Survey. Since the publication will 
soon be available, there is no reason for abstracting its contents 
for this report. The U. S. Forest Service is acknowledged for 
partial support of the field work. 
The stripetail darter is neither rare or endangered in Big 
Creek, but its Illinois range is restricted to a few creeks in 
the Shawnee National Forest in the southeastern part of the 
state. A description of Big Creek ‘is given under Recommendations. 
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