MANUAL OF FISH-CULTURE. 161 



The calico bass has received the names of strawberry bass, grass bass, 

 bitter-head, barflsh, lamplighter, goggle-eye, goggle eye perch, speckled 

 perch, aud speckled trout. The crappie is known in its Dative waters 

 ascrappie, new light, campbellite, sac-a-lait, bachelor, chiuquapiu perch, 

 croppie, and cropet. On account of the similarity of the calico bass 

 aud crappie, anglers and fish-culturists have frequently confouuded 

 the two, the common and local names often being used interchangeably 

 throughout the regions to which both are native. 



Possibly no common name of the black bass is more appropriate than 

 "jumper," which is applied in certain parts of Kentucky. Tliat both 

 sj)eeies of the black bass are jumpers is well known to every angler, 

 but it is better understood by those who have had occasion to collect 

 these fishes by seining. It is almost impossible to capture them with a 

 seine rigged in the ordinary manner, especially when the fish have the 

 vitality and activity which is usual when living in water of moderate 

 temperature. Like other fishes, they lose in strength and activity 

 when they inhabit warmer waters. While the black bass of the colder 

 northern waters make a fight worthy of the salmon, they may be taken 

 from the waters of the south with hardly a struggle. In seining for 

 brood stock it is well to employ a seine about three times the depth of 

 the water, as the bagging or bellying of a seine so rigged confuses the 

 fish and deters them from jumi^ing. 



On one occasion, when collecting black bass on the Holstou River, 

 advantage was taken of their jumping habits to effect their capture. 

 A flatboat 12 feet wide and 50 feet long was procured and in suitable 

 places was rapidly poled broadside from one bank to the other. As it 

 approached the further shore the bass would leap from the stream and 

 frequently land in the boat, the gunwale of which was cut down to 

 within 4 inches of the water. One bass was seen to clear the entire 

 width of the boat, making a horizontal jump of l-i feet. 



A marked characteristic of the rock bass is their habit of settling 

 down in dense, compact masses, resembling a swarm of bees, which is 

 especially true of the young in cold weather. They are exceedingly 

 pugnacious, aud sometimes seem to take the hook rather on this 

 account than from a desire for food. They are well adapted for pond- 

 culture, and under proper conditions will rei)ay the culturist in a large 

 crop of young with the expenditure of very little labor aud time. 



The calico bass is a fairly game fighter, and its firm, white flesh has 

 a fine flavor when the fish is taken from cool, pure waters; but it is a 

 very delicate fish to artificially propagate. It seems to resent captivity, 

 and especially when taken from warm waters is exceedingly tender, 

 quick to yield to attacks of fungus, and liable to become blind and die. 

 Of large numbers collected and transplanted in new waters many have 

 died within a few days after being deposited. 



The spawning and breeding habits of the calico bass and the crappie 

 are so nearly like those of the rock bass that special remarks on the 

 subject do not appear necessary. 



F- C. R. 1897 1\ 



