Large-mouthed Black Bass ; Straw Bass 



experience leads us to believe that wliere tiie 2 species are found 

 in the same water, the small-mouthed is superior in all those 

 qualities which go together to make a game-fish. The straw- 

 bass is, however, an equally good fighter in some portions of 

 its range and is worthy the highest respect of all who go a-angling. 



This bass varies greatly in colour and proportional measure- 

 ments in different waters. There need be no difficulty, how- 

 ever in identifying any specimen belonging to the species. From 

 the small-mouthed black bass, the only species with which it 

 might be confused, the large-mouthed black bass can always be 

 told by its having only 10 or 11 rows of scales on the cheek. 



Head 3 to }^; depth 3 to )\; eye 5 to 6; D. X, 12 or 13; 

 A. Ill, 10 or 11; scales 7-65 to 70-18, about 58 to 67 pores, 

 10 or II rows of scales on cheek. Body ovate-fusiform, becom- 

 ing deeper with age, moderately compressed; head large; mouth 

 very wide, the maxillary in adult reaching beyond the eye, shorter 

 in the young; scales on body comparatively large; teeth some- 

 times present on tongue; gillrakers longer than gill-fringes; dor- 

 sal fin very deeply notched, its fifth spine 3\ in head. General 

 colour, dark green above, sides and below greenish silvery; young 

 with a blackish stripe along the side from opercle to middle of 

 caudal fin; 3 oblique dark stripes across the cheek and opercles; 

 some dark spots above and below lateral line; caudal fin pale 

 at base, then blackish, and whitish at tip; belly white. As the 

 fish grows older the black lateral band breaks up and grows 

 fainter, and the colour becomes more and more uniform pale 

 dull green, the back being darker. 



3.^9 



