FAMILY XVI. CENTRARCHID.E. 195 



entire; dorsal fin divided by a deep notch, the spines low and not very 

 strong; scales small, ctenoid. 



This genus includes two species found only in North America, 

 both being among the best of our game fishes. One species only is 

 found in Mexico. , 



184. Micropterus salmonoides (Lacepede). LARGE -MOUTHED BLACK 

 BASS; BESUGO. 



Labrus salmoides Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss., in, 716, 1802; South 

 Carolina. 



Dioplites nucensis Girard, Mex. Bd. Sur., 3, pi. i, 1859; San Juan 

 River, Nuevo Leon. 



Grystes nuecensis Baird & Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 

 1854, 25; Rio San Juan, Nuevo Leon. 



Micropterus salmonoides Boulenger, Cat., i, 16, 1896. 



Micropterus salmoides Jordan & Evermann, Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. 

 Mus., 1896, 1012. 



Mexico from Tampico to Florida and north to the Great Lakes 

 and Red River of the north. (San Juan; Montemorelos ; Linares; La 

 Cruz; Santa Engracia.) 



Head 3 to i, l /Z\ depth 3 to 3X1 D. x, 12 or 13; A. in, 10 or n ; scales 

 7-65 to 70-18. Body ovate-fusiform, moderately compressed; head 

 large; mouth large, the maxillary broad and with a well developed 

 supplemental bone, its tip reaching vertical from posterior margin of 

 eye; gill rakers longer than gill fringes, 7 or 8 on lower portion of gill 

 arch ; scales on cheeks in about 10 rows. 



Color dark green above, below greenish silvery; a black lateral 

 band which disappears in the adult; 3 dark oblique stripes across 

 cheeks and opercles; a few dark spots above and below the lateral 

 band which breaks up and grows fainter as the fish grows older. 

 Length about 18 inches. 



This species prefers bayous, lakes, and sluggish water. It is not 

 regarded as good a game fish as the small-mouthed black bass, which 

 prefers rapid and cooler waters. The angler often finds considerable 

 difficulty in distinguishing these species, because of the slight differ- 

 ences between them, and he usually finds less difference in their 

 fighting qualities. 



This species is abundant in the streams of Mexico north of Santa 

 Engracia. I saw many specimens over a foot in length here and in 

 the river at La Cruz. So far as known the river at Santa Engracia is 

 its southernmost range. 



