98 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. 



add to tliem C. minima of Le Sueur, as I have never been able 

 to find in the lagoons about our rivers and the lake any fish 

 that answers to his description, except the young of the Black 

 Bass at a certain stage of growth. 



" This species is found universally in our western waters. It 

 frequently is taken by hooks and in seines, and also gives amuse- 

 ment to our marksmen in the spring, when it runs into shallow 

 water for the jrarpose of sj^awning. At this time it is often 

 shot with rifles. Its flesh resembles in flavor that of the Black 

 Fish (Tautoga Americana Cuv.) and by many persons is es- 

 teemed as the best fish for the table that our western waters af- 

 ford."— (Kirtland, Bost. Jour. Nat. Hist. V, 28, 1842.) 



Grystes salmoides DeKay, 1842. — "Greatest depth, to its 

 length as one to four nearly ; its thickness not quite half of its 

 depth. Profile not very declivous. Lower jaw longest with 4 

 or 5 pores under each of its branches. Minute teeth in broad 

 bands. Opercle terminates in two moderate points, of which 

 the uppermost is short. Branchial rays six and occasionally 

 seven; a notable variatio)i, but which is positively established. 

 Humeral bone smootli. Scales ciliate, moderate; ninety in a 

 longitudinal series and 36-40 in a vertical line. Scales only on 

 the opercular bones and cheeks; small ones on the soft portion of 

 dorsal, anal and caudal fins. Lateral line concurrent with the 

 back. Dorsal fin commences about the middle of the pectorals; 

 the fourth ray highest. Pectoral and ventral fins small. Cau- 

 dal fin slightly crescent shaped. 



"The adult, deep greenish brown, with a bluish black spot on 

 the point of the opercle; young with from 25-30 brownish longi- 

 tudinal bands, which appear^ to become effaced with age. Length 

 6'0-24'0. (Copied from Cuvier.) Fin rays: D. 10, 13 or 14; 

 P. 16; V. 1, 5; A. 3, 11 or 12; C. 17."— (DeKay, Fishes 

 N. Y. 26, 1842.) 



Centrarciius fasciatus DeKay, 1842. — " Body compressed; 

 back arched gibbous ; profile descending obliquely to the rostrum, 



