88 CHECK LIST OF THE 



(92) Small=mouthed Black Bass. Black Bass. 



(Micropterus dolomieu.) 



Body ovate-fusiform, becoming deeper with age ; mouth large, but 

 smaller than in the large-mouthed black bass ; maxillary ending consider- 

 ably in front of posterior border of orbit, except in very old examples; 

 scales on cheek minute ; those on body small ; dorsal fin deeply notched, 

 but less so than in the next species, the ninth spine being about half as 

 long as the fifth and not much shorter than the tenth ; soft dorsal and anal 

 each scaly at the base. 



D. X., 13 to 15; A. III., 10 to 12. Scales, 11-72 to 85-25. About 

 17 rows of scales on cheek. 



Colour, dull golden green with l^ronze lustre, often blotched with 

 darker, especially on head ; young with darker spots along the sides, which 

 tend to form short vertical bars, but never a dark lateral band ; three 

 brcjnze bands radiating from eye across cheek and opercles ; a dusky spot 

 on point of opercle ; caudal fin yellowish at base, then black, with white 

 tips ; dorsal with bronze spots, its edge dusky. In some waters the fin 

 markings are obsolete, but they are usually conspicuous in the young. 

 Adults sometimes have all these markings obliterated, the colour becom- 

 ing a uniform dead green, without silvery lustre, the stripes on the head, 

 however, remaining more or less distinct. 



This Bass is found in greater or less abundance throughout the Pro- 

 vince. It seems to prefer cool, clear waters, having a rocky or gravelly 

 bottom, and ranges further north than its large-mouthed relative. As a 

 game fish it Is sought after by anglers in preference to any other, except, 

 perhaps, the Salmon, and on the table is highly esteemed as food. 



Spawning begins in May and ends early in July, the season being 

 dependent largely upon the temperature of the water ; incubation lasts 

 from seven to fifteen days. The parent fish scoop out shallow nests in the 

 sand or gravel to receive the eggs, which are then guarded assiduously 

 until hatched. 



The food of Black Bass consists chiefly of insects, crustaceans and 

 small fish, but when hungry nothing that it can overpower comes amiss 

 At the approach of winter it ceases to feed and lies dormant under logs, 

 weeds, or rocks until the warmth of spring restores at the same time its 

 energy and voracity. 



Its maximum weight in our waters is about six pounds, but fish of 

 this size are rare. 



(93) Large-mouthed Black Bass. Yellow Bass. Green Bass. 



(Micropterus salmoides.) 

 Body ovate-fusiform, becoming deeper with age, moderately com- 

 pressed; head large; mouth very wide, the maxillary in adult reaching 

 beyond the eye, shorter in the young; scales on body comparatively large; 

 gill rakers longer than gill fringes ; dorsal fin very deeply notched, the 

 spinous dorsal low, its fourth spine longest. 



