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  REPORT 
  OF 
  COMMISSIONER 
  OF 
  FISH 
  AND 
  FISHERIES. 
  

  

  though 
  not 
  SO 
  great 
  as 
  the 
  black 
  bass. 
  The 
  highest 
  temperature 
  to 
  

   which 
  it 
  has 
  been 
  subjected 
  at 
  Neosho 
  is 
  88°. 
  The 
  trans 
  portatiou 
  of 
  

   this 
  species 
  would 
  indicate 
  that 
  it 
  suffers 
  from 
  change 
  of 
  temperature 
  

   as 
  quickly 
  as 
  the 
  black 
  bass, 
  with 
  possibly 
  this 
  difference, 
  that 
  while 
  

   the 
  black 
  bass 
  seems 
  to 
  be 
  more 
  quickly 
  and 
  fatally 
  affected 
  by 
  a 
  change 
  

   from 
  high 
  to 
  low 
  temjierature, 
  the 
  ojiposite 
  change 
  more 
  quickly 
  and 
  

   injuriously 
  affects 
  the 
  rock 
  bass. 
  Though 
  sometimes 
  found 
  in 
  muddy 
  

   bayous 
  and 
  in 
  waters 
  of 
  the 
  middle 
  South 
  stained 
  by 
  decaying 
  vegeta- 
  

   tion, 
  the 
  rock 
  bass 
  thrives 
  better 
  in 
  clear, 
  pure 
  waters 
  well 
  stocked 
  with 
  

   aquatic 
  plants. 
  

  

  The 
  natural 
  habitat 
  of 
  the 
  calico 
  bass 
  is 
  the 
  Great 
  Lakes 
  region, 
  the 
  

   entire 
  Mississippi 
  Valley 
  south 
  to 
  Louisiana, 
  and 
  the 
  streams 
  of 
  the 
  

   Carolinas 
  and 
  Georgia 
  east 
  of 
  the 
  Alleghanies, 
  while 
  its 
  close 
  kin, 
  the 
  

   crappie, 
  is 
  confined 
  to 
  the 
  Mississippi 
  Valley, 
  though 
  it 
  is 
  sometimes 
  

   taken 
  in 
  the 
  Great 
  Lakes 
  region. 
  The 
  calico 
  bass 
  is 
  said 
  to 
  demand 
  a 
  

   higher 
  temperature 
  and 
  clearer 
  water 
  than 
  the 
  crappie, 
  but 
  this 
  is 
  not 
  

   certain. 
  

  

  NATURAL 
  FOOD, 
  ETC. 
  

  

  The 
  natural 
  food 
  of 
  the 
  black 
  basses 
  varies 
  greatly, 
  and 
  is 
  influenced 
  

   by 
  the 
  spawning 
  season, 
  character 
  and 
  temperature 
  of 
  the 
  water, 
  and 
  

   the 
  weather. 
  They 
  are 
  voracious 
  and 
  pugnacious, 
  and 
  devour 
  other 
  

   fish 
  almost 
  indiscriminately. 
  The 
  food 
  of 
  the 
  adults 
  comprises 
  crayfish, 
  

   minnows, 
  frogs, 
  tadpoles, 
  worms, 
  and 
  mussels, 
  and 
  the 
  young 
  feed 
  on 
  

   insects 
  and 
  other 
  minute 
  forms 
  of 
  life 
  found 
  in 
  water. 
  

  

  At 
  times 
  both 
  the 
  large-mouth 
  and 
  small-mouth 
  bass 
  refuse 
  the 
  

   most 
  tempting 
  bait, 
  and 
  at 
  other 
  times 
  they 
  bite 
  greedily 
  at 
  almost 
  

   everything. 
  Various 
  kinds 
  of 
  animals 
  of 
  a 
  suitable 
  size, 
  even 
  rats 
  and 
  

   snakes, 
  and 
  many 
  varieties 
  of 
  vegetables, 
  have 
  been 
  found 
  in 
  their 
  

   stomachs, 
  and 
  in 
  a 
  wild 
  state 
  under 
  some 
  conditions 
  they 
  devour 
  almost 
  

   anything 
  moving 
  in 
  or 
  immediately 
  over 
  the 
  surface 
  of 
  the 
  water. 
  

  

  The 
  black 
  basses 
  afford 
  perhaps 
  the 
  highest 
  type 
  among 
  fishes 
  of 
  

   parental 
  care 
  and 
  watchfulness, 
  guarding 
  their 
  young 
  until 
  after 
  the 
  

   dispersal 
  of 
  the 
  school 
  of 
  fry 
  ; 
  but 
  a 
  large 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  young, 
  so 
  zeal- 
  

   ously 
  protected 
  early 
  in 
  the 
  season, 
  at 
  a 
  later 
  date 
  furnish 
  food 
  for 
  

   adult 
  bass, 
  possibly 
  their 
  own 
  progenitors. 
  As 
  with 
  trout, 
  bass 
  of 
  the 
  

   same 
  school 
  of 
  young 
  vary 
  in 
  size, 
  and 
  the 
  larger 
  prey 
  mercilessly 
  upon 
  

   the 
  weaker, 
  often 
  attacking 
  their 
  own 
  kind 
  when 
  other 
  natural 
  food 
  is 
  

   abundant. 
  

  

  COMMERCIAL 
  IMPORTANCE. 
  

  

  The 
  market 
  value 
  to 
  the 
  fishermen 
  of 
  the 
  black 
  bass 
  taken 
  in 
  the 
  

   United 
  States 
  amounts 
  to 
  about 
  $130,000 
  annually, 
  a 
  sum 
  represent- 
  

   ing 
  over 
  2,000,000 
  pounds 
  of 
  fish. 
  A 
  great 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  bass 
  caught, 
  

   however, 
  never 
  reach 
  the 
  market, 
  being 
  consumed 
  by 
  anglers 
  and 
  their 
  

   friends. 
  The 
  indirect 
  value 
  of 
  bass 
  fishing 
  to 
  rural 
  districts, 
  in 
  the 
  

   expenditures 
  of 
  visiting 
  sportsmen 
  for 
  boats, 
  guides, 
  teams, 
  supplies, 
  

   and 
  accommodations, 
  is 
  very 
  great. 
  

  

  