38 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. 



Bocourt, " once more unto the breach," to tell us what 

 they know, about the Bkick Bass. In their work (Mis- 

 sion Scientifique auMexique: ined.), they propose once 

 more to split up our genus Micropterus, this time into 

 four species, viz : — 



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

 M. dolomieu (Lac.) V. & B. {=^M. salmoides yar. salmoides Jordan.) 

 M. salmoides (Luc.) V. & B. {=31 pallidus (Eaf.) Gill & Jordan.) 

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



Dr.Vailkmt, 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 reconnait sans peine plusieurs types, en 

 ayant egardaux proportions du corps, au nombre des ecailles et a 

 diverses autres particularites, niais si on examine un certain nombre 

 d'individus, les differences s'attenuent par des transitions gradu- 



elles."* 



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

 than by the annexed analytical table (^'tableau dichoto- 

 mique") of provisional species as defined by him, and 

 which explains itself: 



f JJ^L-?) fiO to TO scales along (with lingual teeth M . nxiecensis G' rd. 



Eows of scales ' 



TO scales along f With lingua 

 lateral line. |Withoutlino 



low the lateral j ((toll) (09 to 75 



lino > Lateral line : < 



''"''• L25to.30J \80to86 



It will be observed that Dr. Vaillant proposes the title 



, , 1.') to ''0 t the lateral line, j Without lingual teeth — M . salmoides 'Lsi.c. 



above and be- ] -' '- 



low the lateral j ((toll) ^ , , ,. fOQ to 75 scales M. variabilis 'Le 



86 scales M. dolomieu Lac 



Mission Scientifique au Mexique, Zool. iv : ined. 



