﻿THE 
  BUCK 
  BASSES, 
  CRAPPIES, 
  AND 
  ROCK 
  BASS. 
  

  

  DESCRIPTION 
  OF 
  THE 
  FISHES, 
  COMMON 
  NAMES, 
  ETC. 
  

  

  The 
  species 
  treated 
  of 
  in 
  this 
  chapter 
  are 
  those 
  members 
  of 
  the 
  

   Ccntrarchidae 
  (or 
  fresh-water 
  sunflishes) 
  which 
  have 
  come 
  under 
  the 
  

   scope 
  of 
  lish-culture, 
  namely, 
  the 
  hirge-mouth 
  bhick 
  bass 
  {Micropterus 
  

   salmoides), 
  the 
  small-mouth 
  black 
  bass 
  {3Iicropterus 
  dolomieu), 
  the 
  rock 
  

   bass 
  {Ambloplites 
  rupestris), 
  the 
  crappie 
  {Pomoxis 
  annularis), 
  and 
  the 
  

   calico 
  bass 
  {Poxo))ns 
  sparoides). 
  Whatever 
  is 
  said 
  of 
  the 
  rock 
  bass 
  will 
  

   apply 
  equally 
  well 
  to 
  other 
  sunlishes, 
  which 
  might 
  be 
  here 
  considered 
  

   but 
  which 
  have 
  not 
  been 
  artificially 
  reared. 
  

  

  The 
  principal 
  physical 
  characters 
  of 
  these 
  fishes 
  are 
  indicated 
  in 
  the 
  

   following 
  key, 
  which 
  serves 
  to 
  distinguish 
  the 
  two 
  species 
  of 
  black 
  bass 
  

   and 
  the 
  two 
  species 
  of 
  crappie 
  from 
  each 
  other 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  from 
  less 
  

   closely 
  related 
  species. 
  

  

  Large-month 
  Mack 
  bass 
  : 
  Body 
  comparatively 
  long, 
  the 
  depth 
  about 
  

   one-third 
  the 
  length; 
  back 
  little 
  elevated; 
  head 
  large, 
  3 
  to 
  3.^ 
  in 
  body; 
  

   eye 
  5 
  to 
  C 
  in 
  head; 
  mouth 
  very 
  large, 
  the 
  maxillary 
  in 
  adults 
  extending 
  

   beyond 
  eye, 
  smaller 
  in 
  young. 
  Ten 
  rows 
  of 
  scales 
  on 
  the 
  cheeks; 
  body 
  

   scales 
  large, 
  about 
  68 
  in 
  the 
  lateral 
  line, 
  and 
  7 
  above 
  and 
  16 
  below 
  the 
  

   line. 
  Dorsal 
  fin 
  low, 
  deeply 
  notched, 
  larger 
  than 
  anal, 
  with 
  10 
  spines 
  and 
  

   12 
  or 
  13 
  soft 
  rays; 
  anal 
  with 
  3 
  spines 
  and 
  10 
  or 
  11 
  rays. 
  Color 
  above 
  

   dark-green, 
  sides 
  greenish-silvery, 
  belly 
  white; 
  youug 
  with 
  a 
  blackish 
  

   band 
  along 
  sides 
  from 
  opercle 
  to 
  tail, 
  the 
  band 
  breaking 
  ui) 
  and 
  growing 
  

   paler 
  with 
  age; 
  caudal 
  fin 
  pale 
  at 
  base, 
  white 
  on 
  edge 
  and 
  black 
  between; 
  

   older 
  specimens 
  almost 
  uniformly 
  dull 
  greenish; 
  three 
  dark 
  oblique 
  

   stripes 
  across 
  oj^ercle 
  and 
  cheek; 
  dark 
  blotch 
  on 
  opercle. 
  

  

  Small-mouth 
  Mack 
  bass 
  : 
  Similar 
  in 
  form 
  to 
  large-mouth 
  bass. 
  Mouth 
  

   smaller, 
  the 
  maxillary 
  terminating 
  in 
  front 
  of 
  posterior 
  edge 
  of 
  eye, 
  

   except 
  in 
  very 
  old 
  specimens. 
  About 
  17 
  rows 
  of 
  small 
  scales 
  on 
  the 
  

   cheeks; 
  body 
  scales 
  small, 
  11-74-17. 
  Dorsal 
  fin 
  less 
  deejjly 
  notched 
  

   than 
  in 
  other 
  species, 
  with 
  10 
  spines 
  and 
  13 
  to 
  15 
  rays; 
  anal 
  with 
  3 
  

   si)ines 
  and 
  12 
  or 
  13 
  rays. 
  General 
  color 
  dull 
  golden-green, 
  belly 
  white; 
  

   young 
  with 
  dark 
  sj)ots 
  along 
  sides 
  tending 
  to 
  form 
  irregular 
  vertical 
  

   bars, 
  but 
  never 
  a 
  lateral 
  band; 
  caudal 
  fin 
  yellowish 
  at 
  base, 
  white 
  at 
  

   tip, 
  with 
  dark 
  intervening 
  area; 
  dorsal 
  with 
  bronze 
  spots 
  and 
  dusky 
  

   edge; 
  three 
  radiating 
  bronze 
  stripes 
  extending 
  backward 
  from 
  eye; 
  

   dusky 
  spot 
  on 
  point 
  of 
  opercle. 
  

  

  Crappie 
  : 
  Body 
  short, 
  greatly 
  compressed, 
  back 
  much 
  elevated 
  ; 
  depth 
  

  

  159 
  

  

  