THE BLACK BASS. 27 



and other ingenious contrivances to be had at the fish- 

 ing-tackle stores. Squid are also an excellent bait 

 for trolling. To fasten the squid to your hook, you 

 should use a needle and waxed linen thread. Take 

 off the skin of the squid, and pull out the spine 

 then insert the needle through the opening made by 

 the spine, and in this way fasten your hook so the 

 point will pass through near his eye commence 

 sewing him onto the hook from his tail, and stitch up 

 to his neck. This is so troublesome a process that 

 few sportsmen use it; but very large fish are taken 

 in this manner. 



The Oswego Bass, and Black Bass. 



There are two distinct species of the black bass, 

 which are so near alike that it is hard to distinguish 

 one from the other, unless they are together. The 

 observable difference then is, that the Oswego bass 

 has a more forked tail, is thicker at the shoulder, has 

 coarser scales and larger mouth. This latter fish is 

 found in great abundance in Lake Ontario and par- 

 ticularly at the mouth of Oswego river, which gives 

 him his name. He also frequents other streams 

 which flow into Ontario. The black bass is abun- 

 dant in Lake Erie, and a few of them have found 

 their way into Ontario, probably by way of the 

 canal, as it is not supposed that any one could sur- 

 vive the fearful descent of Niagara Falls. These 

 two fish are alike in their habits and peculiarities. A 

 third species of black bass in Lake Huron, grows 



