SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF THE BLACK BASS. 43 



the same name is fully adopted for the hirge-nxpiithed Black Bass. 

 Let us iuquire into the history of the use of the name sahnoides. 



In 1800, the name Labrm sahnoides was given by Lacepede to a 

 fish inhabiting the waters of Carolina, and known to Americans as 

 "Trout." Tills fish was known to Lacepode only through a drawing 

 and manuscript description by Bosc. Both species of Black Bass 

 occur in Carolina, the large-mouth most abundantly. Neither draw- 

 ing nor description is exact enough to enable us to tell with certainty, 

 or even with reasonable probability, which species was meant by 

 Bosc and LacepMe. It is unlikely that Bosc discriminated between 

 them at all, both being alike "Trout" to the Carolina fishermen. 

 In the figure the mouth is drawn large, and if we must choose, the 

 large-inouth is best represented. 



The specific name sahnoides next ap))ears in the great work of 

 Cuvier and Valenciennes (III, p. 54) as Gnjsfes sahnoides. The descrip- 

 tion here given is for the most part applicable to both species; the 

 small size of the scales ("il y en a quatre-vingt-dix sur une ligne 

 longitudinale et trente-six ou quarante sur une verticale."*) and the 

 naked preoperculum render it evident that at least that part of the 

 description was taken from a ^mall-mouth, while the accompanying 

 figure more resembles the large-mouth. 



We are, however, not here left in doubt. The original material 

 of the French naturalists is still preserved in the museum. It con- 

 sists of the following specimens as descril)ed by Cuvier and Valen- 

 ciennes: 



1. "Nous avons refu, par M. Milbsrt, un individu de huit a neuf 

 ponces et un de six a sept. C'est ce dernier qui a six rayons a la 

 membrane des ouies et quatorze rayons mouse a la dorsale." 



From one of the.se specimens the figure in the Histoire Naturelle 

 des Puissons (pi. 46) was taken. f This specimen is unquestionably 

 a hirge-mouthed Black Bass. 



2. "Plus tard, M. Lesueur nous en a envoye de la riviere Waba.^h 

 un individu h)ng de seize ponces, et trois autres qui n'en ont guere 

 que cinq. Les jeunes sont d'un vert plus pale, et ont sur chaque 

 fl:inc vingt-cinq a trente ligne.? longitudinales et paralleles brunes, 

 qui parais.sent s'effacer avec I'age." 



-The very sm ill piccaudal scales are doubtless here included. 

 ^Fide Vaiilaut. 



