454 



view the Black Bass must be regarded as among the more vahiable fish, as 

 although not swelling the lists of market fish as do the Whitefish, Lake Trout, 

 and Pickerel, it is, nevertheless, as much sought after by sportsmen as the Brook 

 Trout and the Maskinonge. 



The two species of Black Bass, the small-mouthed and the large-mouthed, 

 both belong to the genus Micropterus, and are distinguished as M. dolomieu 

 and M. salmoides. Both agree in the elongated oval compressed form of the body, 

 the deep division in the course of the dorsal fin, which is much larger than the 

 anal, and the fin-formula which is D. X, 18 ; A. Ill, 11 ; but the species differ in 

 that the maxillary bone in the small-mouthed species does not extend beyond the 

 orbit, whereas it does in the large-mouthed form. Again, the scales are some- 

 what larger in the latter, so that they are only 7 to 8 rows above the lateral line 

 and 65 to 70 scales in its course, while in the small-mouthed species 70 to 80 scales 

 occur in the lateral line, and there are 10 to 12 rows above it. I'urther, the dorsal 

 fin has a deeper notch in the large-mouthed form, which is also thicker through 

 the shoulders, deeper in the body and less agile than the small-mouthed form. 

 No dependence is to be placed on differences of colouration, for the variability 

 in this regard resulting from surroundings is extreme. Mr. Henshaw in his 

 Book of the Black Bass states that it would be possible to recognize from which 

 of twenty small lakes within a radius of eight miles, in a district of Wisconsin 

 known to him, any particular specimen of bass came. Where, however, the species 

 co-exist, the tendency is for the small-mouthed species to incline to sombre hues, 

 the large-mouthed to pale green, although the small-mouthed form is often 

 yellowish in places. In the young, the colouration of the two species is more 

 distinct, M. salmoides having a distinct dark lateral band and three dark cheek- 

 stripes, while M. dolomieu has interrupted lateral blotches but no band, and 

 three distinct olive cheek-stripes. 



The geographical range of both species is very wide, but it is probable that 

 it will be found that M. salmoides occurs further to the north than does M. 

 dolomieu. They affect different surroundings, the large-mouthed species being 

 especially found in deep pools around sunken" logs, while the small-mouthed 

 occurs in rocky streams and about gravelly shoi'es. Their respective vigour and 

 gaminess is said to depend on the water in which they occur. Both species have 

 a musky odour when caught, the source of which is not understood. 



The food of the Black Bass varies with its age, the fry eating various minute 

 larvae, the young fish, worms and tadpoles, and the adults, crayfish, frogs, mussels 

 and watersnakes. 



Unlike Pickerel, Pike and Perch, the Black Bass hibernate (except in the 

 extreme south) burying themselves in mud and weeds, often under the shelter 

 of a sunken log. They leave their winter quarters a month or six weeks before 

 spawning time, when they run in the streams and shallower parts of the lakes, 

 possibly on account of the greater percentage of oxygen in the water there. 

 Thereafter they pair and form their nests on a gravelly or sandy bottom, or on a 

 rocky ledge in from eighteen inches to three feet of water in streams, but in some- 

 what deeper water in lakes. The nests are circular in form, twice the length of the 

 fish, are often placed quite close to each other, and, where possible, adjacent to 

 deep water or to patches of weeds, to which the parents can retire if disturbed. 



The spawning time varies with the temperature of the region, from early 

 spring to midsummer, but it also varies in the same region from two to three 

 weeks, shallower waters reaching more rapidly the suitable temperature than do 

 deeper waters. 



