THE STRIPED BASS. 



Labrax Lineatus. 



THE KOCK FISH OF THE DELAWARE AND SOUTHWARD. 



THIS noble and sporting fish, which is peculiar to the 

 continent of North America, was first, I believe, distin- 

 guished and defined by the late learned Dr. Mitchell, 

 of New York, though included by him in the division 

 Perca, in lieu of Labrax^ to which it has since been 

 more correctly attributed. 



Dr. Smith, in his " Fishes of Massachusetts," has 

 severely censured Dr. Mitchell for his distinguishing this 

 fish, and attaching to it his own name pronouncing it to 

 " be a common table fish, known from time immemorial 

 all over Europe." Dr. Smith, however, not Dr. Mitchell, 

 is the person jn error ; as the Striped Bass, Labrax Line- 

 atus, is a purely American fish, entirely distinct from the 

 common European Bass, Labrax Liipus, which very 

 rarely leaves the salt water, preferring to spawn in the 

 sea bays, rather than to run up fresh streams or rivers, 



