THE SUNFISHES 



fight on the rod, but is not as pugnacious as the 

 average black bass of similar size, its struggles 

 being shorter. It is, however, a wary fish, easily 

 frightened, and caution is required when approach- 

 ing its feeding grounds. 



A close relative to the crappie is the strawberry 

 or calico bass ; in fact, it is difficult for the ang- 

 ler, if not closely observant, to differentiate the 

 two fishes ; as we proceed, an effort will be made 

 to make this " clear sailing " for him. The straw- 

 berry bass, like its congener, bears a profusion of 

 popular names, some of them being identical with 

 those given to the crappie, which renders confu- 

 sion worse confounded. It is called, indiscrimi- 

 nately, the strawberry perch, grass bass, silver bass, 

 Chinquapin perch, big-fin bass, bar fish, lamp- 

 lighter, and, in some sections, the bitter-head and 

 razor-back. To add to the perplexity of identi- 

 fication, in the extreme south it is baptised 

 " g°ggl e-e y e >" a name that has been bestowed on 

 the rock bass, and by right of priority should not 

 be encroached upon. 



The strawberry or calico bass is technically 

 Pomoxis sparoides, the specific name being from two 

 Greek words meaning " spams" and "resem- 

 blance," in allusion to its similarity of form and 

 general appearance to fishes of the porgie or spar- 

 99 



