106 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. 



brownish yellow on the sides; Ijelly opaque white. Body com- 

 pressed oval, back arched, belly les.s curved tlian the .superior 

 outlines ; breadth as 2 to 7. Lateral line conciirreut with the 

 back. Head small, little less than ^ the length of body; pre- 

 opercle covered with small scales, scales larger on opercle. The 

 eye is on a line between the snout and posterior angle of the 

 opercle, ^ distant from snout, and is about ^ of an inch in 

 diameter ; the irides are dark brown above and pale yellow 

 below. Nostrils small, double. Tongue toothless ; both jaws 

 with small brush-like teeth, small patches of the same on each 

 side the pharynx as well as on the branchial arches. Branchial 

 rays 7. The first dorsal fin has 10 sharp s})ines, the anterior ray 

 being short. The secoiid dorsal is covered at its base with 

 scales, and has 15 rays, preceded by an obtuse spine of ^ their 

 length ; this fin is arched and rounded jjosteriorly. The pec- 

 torals beginning immediately beneath the point of the opercle 

 are yellow, nearly obovate in shape, and have 18 rays. Yentrals 

 commencing slightly posteriorly have 5 branched rays. The 

 anal terminating beneath the posterior point of the second dorsal 

 has 2 sharp, and 1 longer obtuse spine, and 12 branched rays. 

 The caudal is very slightly forked and has 18 rays. . . . This 

 fish differs from the Oswego Bass, to which it has so close a re- 

 semblance, in having a smaller head, and its belly less protuber- 

 ant, though the position of the fins, their shape, and number of 

 spines and rays, are almost identical." — (Norris, Am. A)igler'$ 

 Book, 103, 1864.) 



MiCKOPTERUs ACiiiGAN Oill, 1866. — "The common small- 

 mouthed species (Mlcropterm aeliigan) is, in truth, well entitled 

 to command the eff(>rts of the pisiculturist, and could be intro- 

 duced most advantageously into many sheets of water at present 

 affording fishes of inferior quality."^ — (Gill, Rept. Com. Agric. 

 4U8, 1866.) 



Grystes farciatus Putnam, 1^67. — " This species, which is 

 the common Lake Bass antl Black Bass of the great lakes, Lake 



