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a habit it has of lying on the bottom. It has a series of black spots on 

 its back, and another series along the lateral line. It frequents clear 

 springs or streams, lying for a while perfectly still at the bottom, and 

 then darting off with great velocity after its prey or in sport. I have 

 found it in clear pools and in several shallow streams in this vicinity, 

 and have watched their curious habits il^ my aquarium. 



TheEock Bass ( AmhlopUtes Mupestris) is well known in all the streams 

 end rivers of this locality wherever large stones abound, or at the foot 

 of mill races and in the back waters of eddies. Its extreme freight 

 ranges from one to one and a half pounds. It readily takes the hook, 

 biting eagerly at worm, minnow, or cray-fish, especially the latter. It 

 also, rises to the fly, especially in the dusk, either morning or evening. 



The Black Bass ( Micropterus Dolomien) ranks high among the game 

 fish of this vicinity, and is found in most of the waters around here. 

 A distinguishing feature over all other of its congeners is a red specTc in 

 each eye like a dot of carmine. WJien fully grown its length is about 

 15 inches, and its weight ranges from one to five or six pounds. It 

 differs much, not only in colour but in form, according to the water it 

 frequents. It is a very active fish, and when hooked often leaps 

 violently out of the water. It generally lies close to the bottom in still 

 water, or is found frequenting the foot of rapids. Both the rock and 

 black bass exhibit what may be called a parental affection for their 

 helpless offspring when they first appear, and are very tenacious of the 

 spot they have selected as a breeding place, sailing back and forth to 

 keep off all other finny intruders. I have often noticed a circular 

 sandy space amidst stones at the bottom of a clear pool in our rivers, 

 with a pair of bass hoveling over it. These bare places are where the 

 spawn is deposited, and may be accounted for by the fish having removed 

 all obstacles, rolling them to one side or the other either with the mouth 

 or by rubbing their belly backwards and forwards over the spot, and so 

 forming a cii'cular wall or bank. After the young fry appear, the parent 

 fish watch them for a few days till they are strong enough to hide 

 themselves in natural cover, and the hatching place is then abandoned. 

 Numbers of these places may be seen in any pool where bass abound. 

 Whilst watching, if any other fish appeal-, an attitude of defence is 

 assumed by the erection of the spines of the dorsal fin, and the rigidity 



