This species, the Labrus auritus of Linnaeus, the Pomotis vulgaris
of Cuvier, seldom exceeds five or six inches in length, but is rather
deep in proportion. The usual size is from four to five inches, with a
depth of from two to two and a half. They are not bony, and at all seasons
afford delicate eating. Having observed a considerable change in
their colour in different parts of the United States, and in different
streams, ponds, or lakes, I was led to think that this curious effect might
be produced by the difference of colour in the water. Thus, the Sun-fish
caught in the deep waters of Green River, in Kentucky, exhibit a depth
of olive-brown quite different from the general tint of those caught in the
colourless waters of the Ohio or Schuylkill; those of the reddish-coloured
waters of the Bayous of the^ Louisiana swamps, look as if covered with a
coppery tarnish ; and, lastly, those met with in streams that glide beneath
cedars or other firs, have a pale and sallow complexion.
The Sun Perch, wherever found, seems to give a decided preference to
sandy, gravelly, or rocky beds of streams, avoiding those of which the
bottom is muddy. At the period of depositing their eggs, this preference
is still more apparent. The little creature is then seen swimming rapidly
over shallows, the bed of which is mostly formed of fine gravel, when after
a while it is observed to poise itself and gradually sink to the bottom,
where with its fin it pushes aside the sand to the extent of eight or ten
inches, thus forming a circular cavity. In a few days a little ridge is
thus raised around, and in the cleared area the roe is deposited. By wading
carefully over the extent of the place, a person may count forty, fifty,
or more of these beds, some within a few feet of each other, and some several
yards apart. Instead of abandoning its spawn, as others of the family
are wont to do, this little fish keeps guard over it with all the care
of a sitting bird. You observe it poised over the bed, watching the objects
around. Should the rotten leaf of a tree, a piece of wood, or any
other substance, happen to be rolled over the border of the bed, the Sunfish
carefully removes it, holding the obnoxious matter in its mouth, and
dropping it over the margin. Having many times witnessed this act of
prudence and cleanliness in the little sunny, and observed that at this period
it will not seize on any kind of bait, I took it into my head one fair
afternoon to make a few experiments for the purpose of judging how far
its instinct or reason might induce it to act when disturbed or harassed.
Provided with a fine fishing-line, and such insects as I knew were relished
by this fish, I reached a sand-bar covered by about one foot of
water, where I had previously seen many deposits. Approaching the
nearest to the shore with great care, I baited my hook with a living
ground-worm, the greater part of which was left at liberty to writhe as it
pleased, and throwing the line up the stream, managed it so that at last
it passed over the border of the nest, when I allowed it to remain on the
bottom. The fish, I perceived, had marked me, and as the worm intruded
on its premises, he swam to the farther side, there poised himself
for a few moments, then approached the worm, and carried it in his mouth
over the side next to me, with a care and gentleness so very remarkable
as to afford me much surprise. I repeated the experiment six or seven
times, and always with the same result. Then changing the bait, I employed
a young grasshopper, which I floated into the egg-bed. The insect
was removed, as the worm had been, and two attempts to hook the
fish proved unsuccessful. I now threw my line with the hook bare, and
managed as before. The sunny appeared quite alarmed. It swam to one
side, then to another, in rapid succession, and seemed to entertain a fear
that the removal of the suspicious object might prove extremely dangerous
to it. Yet it gradually approached the hook, took it delicately up,
and the next instant dropped it over the edge of the bed !
Reader, if you are one who, like me, have studied Nature with a desire
to improve your mental faculties, and contemplate the wonderful phenomena
that present themselves to the view at every step we take in her wide
domain, you would have been struck, had you witnessed the actions of
this little fish, as I was, with admiration of the Being who gave such instincts
to so humble an object. I gazed in amazement on the little creature,
and wondered that nature had endowed it with such feelings and
powers. The irrepressible desire of acquiring knowledge prompted me to
continue the experiment; but with whatever dexterity I could in those
days hook a fish, all my efforts proved abortive, not with this individual
only, but with many others, which I subjected to the same trials.
Satisfied that at this period the Sun-fish was more than a match for
me, I rolled up my line, and with the rod gave a rap on the water as
nearly over the fish as I could. The sunny darted off to a distance of
several yards, poised itself steadily, and as soon as my rod was raised
from the water, returned to its station. The effect of the blow on the
water was now apparent, for I perceived that the fish was busily employed
in smoothing the bed ; but here ended my experiments on the
Sun-fish.
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