1*6 



AMERICAN BLACK BASS. 



Centropristes nigricans. Cuv. et VAL. 

 PLATE XXVIII. 



Centropriste noir, Centropristes nigricans, Cuv. et Vaten. 

 Hist. Nat. des Poissons, iii. p. 37. 



B. 7; D. 10.11; A. a 7; C 7; P. 18; V. 1.5. 



THIS fish represents the form of Centropristes* 

 of Cuvier, and very closely assimilates with the 

 Serrani, having strong curved teeth. Here, how- 

 ever, the teeth are all fine, the opercle is spined, 

 and the preopercle toothed like a saw ; and there 

 are no teeth to the suborbitary bones, as we saw in 

 a preceding form, Acerina. The general form of 

 the American Black Bass is rather lengthened. 

 The colours in a dried or preserved state are, 

 above, of a greenish brown, getting paler and 

 of a yellowish tint on the sides and belly ; but 

 both these tints, according to observers who 



* xifyav, a spine ; *gw$, a saw. 



