﻿FISHES 
  OF 
  THE 
  YELLOWSTONE 
  NATIONAL 
  PARK. 
  

  

  25 
  

  

  Which 
  of 
  the 
  two 
  kinds 
  of 
  black 
  bass 
  composed 
  the 
  first 
  plant 
  is 
  not 
  

   known, 
  but 
  the 
  latter 
  plant 
  was 
  composed 
  of 
  tlie 
  largcmouth 
  form. 
  

   According 
  to 
  the 
  circular 
  of 
  information 
  issued 
  b}^ 
  the 
  Department 
  

   of 
  the 
  Interior 
  in 
  1912, 
  there 
  is 
  no 
  indication 
  that 
  its 
  introduction 
  

   into 
  park 
  waters 
  has 
  been 
  a 
  success, 
  as 
  this 
  fish 
  has 
  not 
  since 
  been 
  

   reported. 
  In 
  the 
  opinion 
  of 
  the 
  Bureau 
  of 
  Fisheries, 
  no 
  further 
  

   efforts 
  should 
  be 
  made 
  to 
  establish 
  the 
  black 
  bass 
  in 
  the 
  park. 
  This 
  

   fish 
  does 
  not 
  harmonize 
  with 
  trouts, 
  and 
  its 
  predatory 
  habits 
  make 
  it 
  

   an 
  unsafe 
  species 
  to 
  introduce 
  into 
  these 
  waters. 
  

  

  The 
  largemouth 
  black 
  bass 
  is 
  widely 
  distributed 
  in 
  the 
  east, 
  from 
  

   Canada 
  and 
  the 
  Red 
  River 
  of 
  the 
  North 
  southward 
  to 
  Florida, 
  Texas, 
  

  

  Fig. 
  10.— 
  Largemouth 
  Black 
  Bass. 
  

  

  and 
  Mexico; 
  it 
  everywhere 
  abounds, 
  especially 
  in 
  bayous 
  and 
  other 
  

   sluggish 
  waters. 
  

  

  In 
  the 
  north 
  the 
  maximum 
  weight 
  attained 
  is 
  about 
  8 
  pounds, 
  and 
  

   the 
  average 
  probably 
  about 
  3 
  or 
  4 
  pounds, 
  but 
  in 
  the 
  south 
  a 
  much 
  

   larger 
  size 
  is 
  reached. 
  It 
  is 
  a 
  common 
  market 
  fish 
  in 
  many 
  localities. 
  

   The 
  game 
  qualities 
  depend 
  upon 
  various 
  factors, 
  but 
  in 
  some 
  parts 
  

   of 
  its 
  range 
  are 
  of 
  a 
  high 
  order. 
  

  

  11. 
  B1.0B 
  {Cottus 
  pundulatus) 
  . 
  

  

  This 
  little 
  fresh-water 
  sculpin 
  abounds 
  in 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  waters 
  of 
  the 
  

   park. 
  It 
  is 
  stated 
  to 
  swarm 
  in 
  the 
  grassy-bottom 
  portions 
  of 
  Madison 
  

   and 
  Gibbon 
  Rivers, 
  also 
  in 
  Canyon 
  Creek, 
  and 
  to 
  be 
  numerous 
  in 
  the 
  

   Gibbon 
  above 
  the 
  falls. 
  It 
  is 
  also 
  known 
  from 
  the 
  Firehole 
  below 
  

   the 
  falls. 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  probably 
  justly 
  accused 
  of 
  being 
  destructive 
  to 
  the 
  eggs 
  of 
  

   other 
  fishes, 
  and 
  appears 
  to 
  be 
  of 
  little 
  use, 
  unless 
  possibly 
  as 
  bait 
  for 
  

   large 
  trout. 
  It 
  can 
  be 
  taken 
  with 
  a 
  small 
  baited 
  hook. 
  

  

  