FISHES OF COLORADO 95 



rays, base of the first spine but slightly behind the level of the base of the first 

 dorsal spine; caudal peduncle broad, exceeding in width the diameter of the eye; 

 caudal fin long and broad, not deeply forked; scales large, closely imbricated, 

 feebly ctenoid in the anterior portion of the body, strongly ctenoid in the posterior; 

 scales 6, 38-44, 12. 



Color light green, darker dorsally; body, caudal, dorsal and anal fins, and to 

 some extent the posterior portion of the head, mottled with dark-green blotches, each 

 blotch covering parts of from two to five scales; ventral parts light green to almost 

 white, somewhat washed with dusky; ventrals and pectorals dusky; outer portion 

 of the caudal and soft dorsal fins with numerous white spots; top of the head dark 

 olive-green; eye bright blue, with a purplish reflection. 



The Calico Bass ranges from southern Canada south into Alabama and west 

 into Kansas. It is regarded as a valuable food fish throughout its range, taking 

 almost any sort of bait and having some of the fighting qualities of the true bass. 

 Pomoxis sparoides reaches a weight of a pound and thrives well in small ponds, two 

 points favoring its introduction into ponds and reservoirs. It has been introduced 

 into Colorado through several independent plantings, one of the first of these being 

 made in 1894 when twenty-five adults and yearlings were placed in Stevens Lake 

 near Cuchara.^ 



Colorado specimens. — University Museum: Boulder Lake near Boulder, October 29, 1903 

 (8 specimens, 160-170 mm.), C. Juday and J. Henderson, No. 42. 



Subfamily Lepominae 

 Genus AMBLOPLITES Rafinesque 

 The Rock Bass 

 Amblopliles Rafinesque, Ichthyologia Ohiensis, p. 37, 1820. 



Body oval in outline, moderately compressed and moderately deep; oper- 

 culum emarginate; tongue with teeth ; anal spines VI. A genus of a single species. 



Ambloplites rupestris (Rafinesque) 

 Rock Bass 



Bodianus rupestris Rafinesque, Amer. Monthly Magazine, p. 120, 1817 (lakes of New York, 

 Vermont, and Canada). 



Body oval in outline, deep and moderately compressed ; depth 2 to 2 . 5 in the 

 length to the base of the caudal fin; greatest width of the body about 2 in the 

 greatest depth; head 2. 5 to 2.8 in the length; eye very large and prominent, its 

 diameter 3.5 to 4 in the length of the head ; interorbital distance about 4 in the 

 head; operculum emarginate posteriorly; mouth large, lower jaw slightly longer 

 than the upper; angle of the mouth when closed reachmg the level of the center 

 of the eye; dorsal fiin long, of XI or XII spines and 10 to 12 rays, base of the first 

 spine of the dorsal almost on a level with the spines of the ventrals; pectorals 



> Rept. U.S. Com. Fisheries for 18Q4-Q5, p. 71, 1896. 



