THE STRIPED-BASSE. 323 



taking the minnow even greedily, but gives plenty- of 

 play when hooked, and is tolerably well flavoured. It 

 is smaller than the Black-Basse, weighing from 1 j Ibs. to 

 3^ Ibs. The under parts and sides are white, slightly 

 streaked, the back being of a dark semi-transparent hue. 



The Striped- Basse (Labrax lineatus), which in Canada 

 generally goes by the name of Bar, or Barr, though 

 belonging rather to the sea than the river, frequents 

 alternately salt and fresh water. It is a most excellent 

 fish, and frequently attains a very large size; several 

 weighing thirty pounds and upwards, have, I am in- 

 formed, been taken in some parts of the St. Lawrence, 

 especially at the Sorel Islands and Crane Island. 



The Striped-Basse is so called on account of its 

 having seven or eight dark lines or stripes on its sides, 

 running parallel one with another from head to tail. 

 The general colour of the body is brown above, with a 

 blue tinge, the sides being bright and silvery. It breeds 

 in spring, in the St. Lawrence and several of its tribu- 

 taries, in the Restigouche and other rivers emptying 

 themselves into the Bay of Chaleurs, and in several more 

 on the southern shore of the Gulf. 



" Oswego Basse" appears to be only a local American 

 name for the above fish, although it has been described 

 as having larger scales and a more forked tail, with 

 other imaginary differences, and I have met many per- 



Y 2 



