16 SUPPLEMENT TO THE BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. 



the head without serrature. Mouth rather oblique, with the 

 lower jaw projecting. Two dorsal fins, the first with six spines. 



"The 'Black Bass' of Lake Huron {Huro nigricans.)" — (GiJN- 

 THER, Intro. Study of Fishes, 393, 1880. 



MiCROPTERUS Cope, 1880. — " I may add here that it seems 

 that the name and characters of the genus Micropterus Avere based 

 on a monstrous or mutilated specimen. The characters thus de- 

 rived were false and absurd. Under ordinary circumstances, this 

 name should be relegated to the limbo of undeterminable myths. 

 The next name in order is Calliurus Baf., which is only applica- 

 ble to young fishes of this genus, and Avas almost as badly char- 

 acterized a.s Micropterus. This name should, however, be adopted, 

 as its characters were drawn from normal objects. As, however, 

 Micropterus has obtained some currency, and as the name Calliu- 

 rus is peculiarly Mse in significance, I retain the former provis- 

 ionally."— (Cope, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvii, 32, 1880.) 



Micropterus Cope, 1881. — " This genus embraces only two 

 well-marked species, which are found every-where in eastern 

 North America south and w^est of the Potomac river. They ap- 

 proach the Lahraces in form, but are most like the extinct genus 

 Mioplosus, from the eocene of the Bocky Mountains, in the struct- 

 ure of their fins and other parts." — (Cope, Fishes of Pa. <^Rept. 

 Pa. Fish Com., 130, 1881.) 



Micropterus Jordan, 1882. — "Body elongate-ovate, com- 

 pressed, the back not much elevated. Head oblong-conic. 

 Mouth very large, oblique, the broad maxillary reaching nearly 

 to or beyond the posterior margin of the eye, its supplemental 

 bone well developed. Lower jaw prominent. Teeth on jaws, 

 vomer and palatines ; usually none on the tongue. Preopercle 

 entire ; operculum ending in two flat points, without cartilagin- 

 ous flap. Branchiostegals normally 6. Scales rather small, 

 weakly ctenoid. Lateral line continuous. Dorsal fin divided by 

 a deep notch, the spines low and rather feeble, 10 in number; 

 anal spines 3 ; the anal fin much smaller than the dorsal ; caudal 



