Other Game Fish 215 



and then hung it in the water-tank of the locomotive while 

 the train puffed down to the shores of the Potomac. There 

 he released his fish, and there have been black bass in the 

 Potomac ever since. 



Since that day, many other shipments of this fish have 

 been successfully completed, both by government agencies 

 and by individuals. The ease with which it is kept alive, and 

 its adaptability, have favored its artificial distribution. It is 

 now to be found all over the United States, and it has been 

 successfully introduced into Cuba, Great Britain, continental 

 Europe, and even South Africa. 



It can survive under conditions which trout would find 

 insupportable, and if deforestation, irrigation, flood control, 

 and power projects continue to change the nature of our 

 lakes and streams, the bass will take the place of the trout 

 in many of our more populous areas. This is bad news for 

 the trout fisherman, but since the trout seems doomed in 

 these localities anyway, we can be thankful for so desirable 

 a replacement. That bass exterminate trout when introduced 

 into the same water has never been conclusively proved, 

 but observation shows that where conditions are equally 

 favorable to both, the bass often become the dominant fish. 

 Where the advantage is distinctly on the side of the trout he 

 is generally able to resist the inroads of his rival, although 

 sometimes even in cold waters he goes down before hordes 

 of stunted bass. The introduction of bass into trout water 

 should therefore be carefully guarded against unless it has 

 been definitely decided to give that water over to the spiny 

 fish. 



So far we have spoken of the black bass as though it were 

 one species, which is obviously untrue. There are two spe- 

 cies: ^ the small-mouth. Micro fterus dolomieUy and the large- 



^ A third, the spotted or Kentucky bass, Microfierus functulatuSy is now 

 recognized, intermediate between the other two. 



