COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 9 



placed. He is plucky, game, brave, unyielding to the last when hooked. 

 He has the arrow rush and vigor of a trout, the untiring strength and 

 leap of a salmon, while he has a system of fighting tactics peculiarly 

 his own. I consider him inch for inch and pound for pound the gamiest 

 fish that swims." — J. A. Henshall. 



The facility with which waters hitherto practically barren of good 

 fish can be made productive encourages the Commission to recom- 

 mend the further and more extended distribution of the basses by the 

 liberal planting of both fingerlings and adult fish in suitable waters. 

 The present law provides that no black bass may be taken that shall 

 measure less than eight inches in length, and a close season, when no 

 black bass can be legally taken, from March 1st to July 1st. Your 

 Commission would recommend a size limit of ten inches in length, 

 and a close season from January 1st to July 1st. 



SMALL MOUTHED BLACK BASS. 



{Micropterus dolomieu.) 

 Plate No. I. 



INTRODUCTION INTO RHODE ISLAND WATERS. 



This well known species of food and game fish is not a native of 

 Rhode Island waters but was introduced by the Commissioners of 

 Inland Fisheries in 1870, and at various subsequent periods. It 

 seems to be holding its prestige throughout the inland waters of the 

 State, and notwithstanding the large increase each year in the army 

 of anglers, fair catches have been reported during the past season 

 from nearly all sections of the State. During this period 22,000 fry, 

 fingerlings, and adult fish of this species have been liberated. 



Owing to the difficulty in obtaining fry within reasonable distance, 

 there being but one hatchery in New England, and also, owing to the 

 fact that the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries has been able to furnish them 

 only in very limited numbers, the range of distribution in State waters 

 has not been greatly increased in recent years. This is to be regretted 



