420 



AMERICAN GAME FISHES. 



the deep pools under the logs, and is the terror of the min- 

 nows and chubs. The species is common in all the lowland 

 streams from North Carolina to Texas, and then northward 

 into the Great Lakes, but it reaches its greatest abundance 

 in the South. In si^e, color and habits, he is the duplicate 

 of his cousin the Red-Eye or Rock Bass, and as a game-fish, 

 is equally interesting. 



THE ROCK BASS, RED-EYE OR GOGGLE-EYE AlublopUtcS ru- 



pestris^ (Rafinesque). 



Description. — Body oblong, the depth about 2 1-2 in length; 

 head 3 in length; profile convex, eye very large, about equal to 

 snout, 3 1-2 to 3 3-4-in. head; cheeks with about eight rows 

 of scales and a naked area; preopercle very weakly serrate, 

 dorsal spines stout, rather low; D. XI, 11; A. VI, 10; lateral 

 line with about 40 scales. General color, brassy olive-green, 

 with much dark mottling, the young irregularly blotched with 

 black, the adult more uniformly colored, each scale with a 

 squarish dusky blotch, these forming more or less distinct 

 longitudinal stripes; fine dark olive, the soft rays more or less 

 barred- iris red. This species reaches the length of about a 

 foot. 



This well-known fish marks the transition from Sun-fish to 

 Bass, and for its angler-lovers, the transition from youth to 

 manhood. It is a fish of ponds, lakes and sluggish waters. 

 You can catch them in the canals, or in any place where a fish 

 of meditative habits can maintain itself. It is abundant 

 throughout the Great Lake region, and thence south-west- 

 ward in every stream as far as Texas. Ea,st of the mountains, 

 I have seen it only in the Roanoke. It is most plenti- 

 ful in the North, as it is not fond of vv'arm water or of mud. 

 Besides its name "Rock Bass," a good name of long standing, 

 and embalmed in the specific name "rupestris," it has some 

 other names equally good and appropriate, as "Red-Eye," and 

 ^'Goggle- Eye," and by any of these names the anglers will 

 know it anywhere. It is a pity to waste three good names 

 on one fish, when so many other reputable fishes have no dis- 



