BIOLOGICAL 103 



varies considerably in different waters and even in 

 individual specimens. Generally the back of this fish 

 is dark, sometimes black; his sides of some shade of 

 green and his belly cream colored or dull white. 

 Young specimens are usually marked with dark patches 

 or bars placed vertically, seldom horizontally, on the 

 body. Three dark streaks cross the cheeks but as the 

 fish grows older all marking may become faint or be 

 lost entirely. 



HABITAT 



The small mouthed black bass is essentially a fish 

 of cold, moving, clear water and for this reason is most 

 often found in swift streams or in large bodies of 

 water where there are currents and sand and gravel 

 bars or rocky ledges. For this reason waters like the 

 Georgian Bay and many of our Northern lakes and 

 streams are ideal for this fish. Sir Dolomieu does 

 not thrive in warm, still, shallow, weedy waters. 



FOOD 



One look at the mouth of the black bass tells its own 

 story. His small brush-like teeth proclaim to all ob- 

 servers that his favorite foods are craw-fish, insects, 

 helgramites and other larvae. He will also feed on 

 minnows but is not as piscivorous as is generally be- 

 lieved although he can, and in some waters must, live 

 almost entirely on small fishes. He is an enterprising 

 feeder, not always content to wait for something to 

 " turn up." 



