Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 413 



of this species. Crawfishes, however, do not make very good bait 

 as a usual thing. A few examples contained Vivipara contectoides. 



The Black Bass begins spawning about the middle of May. 

 The nest consists of a bowl-shaped depression in sandy or gravelly 

 bottom. Most of those seen were in about 6 feet of water. The 

 fish appear to bite rather well while preparing the nests and per- 

 haps also while watching the nests. A fisherman was seen May 16 

 who reported that he had gotten 6 on the east side where they were 

 preparing their nests. A few were caught during the nesting 

 season and many were reported taken off the nests, but the reports 

 could not be verified. 



Besides being more gamy, the flesh of this fish is regarded as 

 quite superior to that of the straw bass. 



Head 2.5 to 3.5 ; depth 2.75 to 3 ; eye 5 to 6.5 ; D. X, 13 to 15 ; 

 A. Ill, 10 to 12; scales 11-72 to 85-25, 67 to 78 pores, about 17 

 rows on cheek. Body ovate-fusiform, becoming deeper with age; 

 mouth large, but smaller than in the large-mouthed black bass; 

 maxillary ending considerably 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 other spec- 

 ies, 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. General coloration, dull golden green, with bronze luster 

 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; 3 bronze bands radiating from eye 

 across cheek and opercle; a dusky spot on point of opercle; belly 

 white; 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. 



"The little-mouth has little scales, 



There's red in his handsome eye, 

 The scales extend on his vertical fins, 

 And his forehead is round and high. 



"His forehead is round and high, my boys, 



And he sleeps the winter through; 

 He likes the rocks in the summer time 

 Micropterus dolomieu." 



