GENERAL REMARKS. 11 



fairly swarms in the upper central portion of North 

 America. 



In all the lakes, large and small, that dimple the 

 rugged surface of Canada; in the sheets of pure 

 water embosomed in the gentle swells of the west- 

 ern prairies ; in those inland seas that are enveloped 

 by our extensive territory ; and in the numerous 

 rivers of the west the black bass is found by his 

 ardent admirers. 



From the confines of Labrador, throughout the 

 Canadas, in British America, the Western States, 

 and far beyond the Mississippi, there is scarcely a 

 stretch of water, whether it be the rapids of the St. 

 Lawrence, the sluggish bays of Lakes Ontario and 

 Erie, the cold depths of Huron and Superior, or the 

 lakelets of the interior, that does not abound with 

 this splendid fish. 



We find his brother, or brother-in-law, the large- 

 mouth black bass, lazy, ugly, and ill-flavored by 

 comparison, but yet not to be despised on hook or 

 table. He looks with little favor on the artificial 

 fly when cast at him in winning way, but takes the 

 trolling spoon with amiable avidity. 



The black bass has been introduced into the Middle 

 States ; and finding many of the clear, transparent, 

 rocky, eastern ponds admirably adapted to his health 

 and propagation, he is populating waters that have 

 heretofore produced little besides perch and sun- 

 fish. By a fortunate provision of nature, most ponds 

 that are not suited to trout are favorable to black 

 bass ; and being a hardy fish, able to endure long 



