189 



BASS. 



LwptiS, JONSTON; c. 2, t. 23, f. 3. 



WiLLOUGHBY; p. 271, tab. r. 1. 

 Perca labrcux, LinNjEUs. 



Bass, Donovan; pi. 43. Rtsso; p. 213. 



" Fleming; Br. Animals, p. 213. 



Labrax lupus, Cuvier, wlio separates this fish into a new 



genus, because its tongue is rough, which 

 that organ in the genus Perca is not. 

 " " Jenyns; Manual, p. 331. 



" " Yakkell; Br. Fishes, v. 1, p. 8. 



" " Gunther; Catalogue of Fishes in the Br. 



Museum, vol. i, p. 63. 



The Bass was known to the Romans by the name of Lupus, 

 or the Wolf; a designation which has been supposed expressive 

 of its great voracity. But it appears to me that the word des- 

 cribes the manner in which it deals with its prey, rather than 

 merely the eagerness with which it pursues it. Let the weather 

 be stormy and the water turbid, and the Bass of largest size 

 will hunt along the shore, and even in very shallow water, for 

 whatever it can find, but especially for onisci and other crus- 

 taceous animals, which under such circumstances are often thrown 

 from their hiding-places in crevices of the rocks. Fishermen 

 who employ hand lines from the shore, are aware of this, and 

 choose this time, at the flood tide rather than the ebb, for their 

 most successful fishery. If they are able from the clearness of 

 the water to discern the bottom, they do not expect this fish 

 to take the hook. At other seasons the Bass will assume a 

 station near some sheltering rock, and there keep watch for any 

 passing prey. Suddenly it rushes on its victim, and again 

 returns with it to its former shelter to devour it; remaining still 

 near the same haunt until the appetite is satisfied, or its expectation 

 has failed. 



In the opinion of several ancient authors this fish displays 

 VOL. I. 2 E 



