BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 199 



The black bass {Microptcrus nalmoides) belongs to the bass family, aud 

 is conimou in Nortb America, especially in tbc Saint Lawrence River 

 and the Mississippi. American ichthyologists distinguish two varieties, 

 namely, the large mouthed bass {Micropterus salmoldes) and the small- 

 mouthed bass (.1/. dolomicl). Both kinds are valued very highly for 

 food, aud fetch a good price in the market. They flourish best in broad 

 flowing waters having considerable depth aud not too low a tempera- 

 ture. In the northern part of North America, in the large lakes, they 

 reach a weight of 4 to 8 pounds, aud in the South a weight of 12 to 14 

 pounds. They prefer a rocky or pebbly bottom of rivers which have a 

 strong current, but are also found in shallow lakes or ponds where there 

 is but little current. They i)refer to spawn on a gravelly or sandy bot- 

 tom, where, by a strong movement of the lins, they make a sort of nest. 

 Both the male and the female keep watch over the eggs aud the 3'ouug 

 fish. The spawuiug season lasts from March till the middle of July, 

 and varies a little according to the higher or lower temperature of the 

 water. The eggs are hatched in 7 to 14 days, and the young bass re- 

 main in the nest from 2 to 7 days. Several attempts have ahead}' been 

 made to acclimatize these fish in Europe; and both in England and in 

 Germany these attempts have been successful. JM^ax von dem Borne 

 deserves great credit for having first introduced this fish in Europe; 

 and next to him should be mentioned Mr. G. Eckardt, jr., of Liibbiuchen, 

 in Prussia, who took care of the fish during their transportation from 

 New York to Bremen. But more than this, Max von dem Borne has 

 succeeded in having three black bass spawn in his ponds. Several 

 thousand young bass have by this famous fish-culturist been placed in 

 a special i)ond, where they are fed with small crustaceans (Daphnia, 

 Cydops^ &c.). Thus not only the transportation of these fish from 

 America to Germany but also their propagation in German waters has 

 been entirely successful. 



The Amsterdam aquarium at present possesses four fine specimens of 

 black bass, which grow Avell, aud will, in all probability, reach sexual 

 maturity. \Ye owe a debt of gratitude to Prof. Spencer F. Baird, of 

 Washington, and Mr. E. G. Blackford, of New York, and also to the cap- 

 tain of the steamship Edam, Mr. J. H. Taat, for the great care he took of 

 the fish during the voyage from New York to Amsterdam; as to these 

 gentlemen it is nuiinly owing that the experiment has proved success- 

 ful. It will be of great importance to fish- culture in the Netherlands 

 if the experiments made in the Amsterdam aquarium to propagate the 

 American bass are crowned with success. Many of our rivers and lakes 

 which at present contain hardly any fish could be advantageously 

 stocked with American black bass. 



