THE BLACK BASS. 153 



Bass," "Bull Bass," "Buck Bass;" Black, Green, or Yellow 

 Bass; Lake, River, Cove, Moss, Slough, or Marsh Bass, or 

 Oswego Bass. These names, or others, are applied indis- 

 criminately in different localities to either species of Black 

 Bass. Throughout the Northwest the Small-mouthed Bass is 

 usually known as "Black Bass," and the Large-mouthed Bass 

 as "Green Bass," or "Oswego Bass," though the last name is 

 in other sections sometimes applied to the Small-mouthed 

 Bass. In Oswego River the Large-mouthed Bass is rarely or 

 never taken. Then again Black Bass species are sometimes 

 confounded with the Rock Bass {Ambloplites rupestris), the 

 Calico Bass, or Straw Bass (Pomoxys sparoides), or the White 

 Bass (Roccus chrysops), which are entirely different fishes, 

 with but a very slight family resemblance to the Black Bass. 

 From the foregoing it will be readily seen that local names 

 for so widely distributed a fish as the Black Bass are a delu- 

 sion and a snare. The only safe rule for anglers to follow is 

 to use the name "Black Bass," for the gouts, and the names 

 "Small-mouthed Black Bass," or "Large-mouthed Black 

 Bass" for the species. 



DESCRIPTION. 



At this late day it is unnecessary to enter into a detailed 

 description of the two species of Black Bass. The specific 

 differences are now apparent to most anglers, who readily 

 distinguish one from the other. The most striking and most 

 easily recognized structural differences are in the compara- 

 tive size of the mouth, and of the scales, as will be seen at 

 once in the subjoined illustrations. 



It will be observed that the angle of the mouth in the 

 Small-mouthed Bass reaches only to, or below, the eye; 

 while in the Large-mouthed Bass it extends considerably be- 

 yond, or behind it. 



The scales on the cheeks of the former are quite small as 

 compared with those on its body; while in the latter the 



