36 SUPPLEMENT TO THE BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. 



I ever saw in New England or Canada, and I have fished, when 

 a boy, in many of the waters of that section. The upper Oua- 

 chita, in Arkansas, is another clear stream, and is full of them, 

 as are all the clear rivers and creeks through the piny woods in 

 Alabama and Mississippi." 



" Lambert," of Erie, Pennsylvania, is almost persuaded : 



* ' Since reading your article on the game qualities of the two 

 Black Basses, some weeks ago, I have been taking notice of the 

 way in which they fought. Previous to this, I accepted the com- 

 mon notion that the small-mouth was the best fighter, but after 

 careful observation I must admit that I am in doubt about it. 

 Within the past three weeks I have taken about one hundred fish 

 of both kinds, but am not fully prepared to admit that the big- 

 mouth is the equal of his brother, yet I will say that he is a bet- 

 ter fighter than I had given him credit for. This is one effect 

 of popular prejudice. I had never before heard it questioned 

 that the common opinion regarding the superiority of the small- 

 mouth might be exaggerated." 



" Rob Roy," of Syracuse, whose experience with the 

 large-mouthed Bass seems unfortunately to be confined to 

 Central New York, says : 



"Dr. Heushall and Mr. Mather have had wide experience on 

 many waters, and both seem firm in the conviction that the large- 

 mouth is as gamy as the small-mouth. No one who has ever cast 

 a fly in Central New York could hold such an opinion for an in- 

 stant. The habits of the two fish here are utterly unlike. One 

 lives in sluggish water on mud bottom, the other in deep, clear 

 water, on sand or gravel bottom, or on rapids with rocky bottom. 

 The large-mouth rarely rises to the surface to meet the fly, but 

 generally takes it under water as it is trailing ; and, when caught, 

 he sulks near the bottom until he finds that won't do, when he 



