FISH ACCLIMATISATION. 387 



men who had subscribed towards the expenses of getting them 

 over. Having for some years past strongly advocated the intro- 

 duction of this fine game and food fish into suitable English 

 waters, I was, in common with others interested in this fish, 

 extremely sorry to see, from the reports in the papers, that 

 Mr. Goode, the United States Commissioner, had 'warned 

 English anglers against the black bass.' I felt convinced that 

 Mr. Goode did not intend to warn us against the introduction 

 of this fish into any of our waters, but only such as were suit- 

 able for Salmonidcs. Knowing that an expression of opinion 

 on this matter from so high an authority would have very great 

 weight in this country, I wrote to Mr. Goode to ask him if he 

 intended his remarks to apply to the introduction of the fish 

 generally. His reply was exactly what I expected it would be ; 

 and I have very great pleasure in giving it, because it will do 

 far more to remove any prejudice against the introduction of 

 the black bass into suitable English waters than anything I can 

 say. Mr. Goode says : 



Dear Mr. Marston, I am much annoyed with myself chiefly, 

 for I ought to have expressed myself more explicitly that my 

 remarks upon the black bass were so misinterpreted. I was 

 speaking solely in reference to planting black bass in salmon 

 streams, and in comment upon Sir James Gibson Maitland's paper 

 upon the culture of Salmonidce, The entire drift of my remarks 

 was to the effect that the black bass is a fish with which public 

 fish-culture had nothing to do, being purely an angler's fish, and 

 not one which professional fishermen can take in large quantities 

 for the supply of the public markets. As an angler's fish I believe 

 the black bass to be superior in every respect to any fish you have 

 in Great Britain outside the salmon family, and I believe that its 

 introduction into streams where pike, perch, roach, and bream are 

 now the principal occupants, can do no possible harm, and would 

 probably be a benefit to all anglers. It is also well suited for large 

 ponds and small lakes, where there is an abundant supply of 

 ' coarse fish,' which a school of them will soon convert into fish by 

 no means ' coarse.' If you will kindly refer to my ' Game Fishes 

 of the United States,' p. 12, you will find that my views as to the 

 value of the black bass in my own country are already on record, 



c c 2 



