38 BOOK OF THE P.T.ACK BASS. 



Bocourt, "once more unto the lireach," to tell us Avliat 

 they know about the Black Bass: In their work (Mis- 

 sion Scientifique an Mexique: ined.), they propose once 

 more to split up our genus Mlcropterus, this time into 

 four species, viz : — 



M. variabilis (Le S.) V. & B. {=M. salmoides var. achigan Jordan.) 

 M. dolomieu (Lac.) V. & B. (—J/, salmoides var. salmoides Jordan.) 

 31. salmoides (Jaic.) V. & B. ( = 31. pallidns (Raf.) Gill & Jordan.) 

 31. nuecensis (G'rd) V. & B. {=31. pallidas, with lingual teeth.) 



Dr.Vaillant, however, has only proposed these species 

 provisionally, and acknowledges that upon examining a 

 considerable number of specimens these specific distinctions 

 shade into each other : 



" Au premier abord, on reeonnait sans peine plusicurs types, en 

 ayant egardaux proportions du corps, au nonjbre dcs eeailles et a 

 diverses autres particularites, niais si on examine un certain nombre 

 d'individus, les differences sattenuent par des transitions gradu- 



elles."- 



Perhaps Dr. Vaillant's views can not be better expressed 

 than by the annexed analytical table {"■fahlcau dichoto- 

 mique'^) of provisional species as defined by him, and 

 Avhich ex])lains" itself: 



r " '" •'*) r.n (o 70 scales aloii" fv\'itli linciifil teptli M. vuecensisG'Td. 



E0W3 of scales | - j.__^^ j ^^..^,^^^^^ - ^ ^^_^^^,^_ _ j^ ,,UmoUlcs Lac. 



above and be- ■ ' -'' i, 



low the lateral 1 .| in n) fno to 75 scales 31- variabilis Le S. 



li»e- [ ^ ,~ I ^•'*'''''-'' '""-' '• |su to SB scales M. dolomitu Lac. 



It will be observed that Dr. Yaillant jiroposes the title 



Mission Sciciitili(iiic an ^Moxiiiiie, Zool. iv: iiicd. 



