PAKENTAL CARE AMONG FRESH-WATER FISHES. 507 



seven. The lower pharyngeal bones are alwa^ys distinct. The dor- 

 sal and anal fins are diversiform. l)ut in most of the species the soft 

 portions of the dorsal and anal fins are almost exactly oi)posite and 

 balance each other. These characters are snpplemented by still more 

 important osteological ones, which confirm the natural association of 

 tlie genera." 



Besides the simfishes, others of greater economical importance be- 

 long to the family, as the black basses, the crappies, and the rock 

 basses. Thirty and more species in all represent the family and all 

 are confined to North America and mostly to the United States, but 

 half a dozen extend into northern Mexico and two are peculiar to 

 her northern States. 



So far as known all the Centrarchids take more or less care of 

 their eggs and young, and doubtless it is always the male i)arent that 

 undertakes this charge. There are, however, various degrees to 

 which care is exercised, and it is possible (not probable) that some 

 may fail to take any care of either eggs or young. There should cer- 

 tainly be some young naturalist who will undertake to watch and 

 study the aberrant members of the family. 



The species whose life histories are best known are the black 

 basses {Mieropterns dolo))i)eii, and M. tialnioides). On these innumer- 

 able articles and pamphlets have been published, and 8 volumes 

 or treatises of superior value.'' One of these is James A. Henshall's 

 "Book of the Black Bass'' (1881, 1889: 4()3 pp.: 2d ed., 1904), 

 another, Henshall's "More about the Black Bass" (1898), and the 

 latest and most authoritative of all is a monograph by Jacol) Keig- 

 hard, " The Breeding Habits, Development, and Pro|)agation of the' 

 Black Bass,"' published as Bulletin of the Michigan Fish Commission 

 No. 7. Henshall expresses the opinion of numy in his declaration 

 (More, 47) that "the Black Bass is excelled by no other fish that 

 swims for gameness and among fresh water species by but one, the 

 White-fish \^Coregonii!<\, for the tal)le." 



The family is ([uite diversiform and three major groujjs or sub- 

 families are recognizable, the Micropterines, the I^icpomines, and the 

 Cent rar chines. 



The Microptcihies^ or black basses, are the least specialized and 

 niost like serranoid or perciform fishes. They ai'e of rather elongate 

 oblong form, with weak dorsal spines rechu-ed backward and an anal 

 shorter than the soft dorsal and also with weak spines. The colors 



o The characters here given compare and contrast with those of the Cichlids, 

 to which most of the Centrarcliids bear so much resemblance. 



&A recent vohnne l).v W. C. Harris and T. II. r.ean. "The Basses, fresh water 

 and marine" (1905), .also relates chiefly to the blacli basses. 



