THE YELLOW BASS 



from which it is easily distinguished by its much 

 larger eye and mouth, very much higher first back- 

 fin, and much longer second spine of the anal fin. 

 It has also larger and rougher scales than the 

 white bass, and its color is brassy yellow instead 

 of silvery. It longitudinal black stripes are more 

 pronounced. 



The body is oblong-ovate, the outline of the 

 back much arched. The head is flattened above and 

 rather pointed. The eye is large, its diameter equal 

 to the length of the snout. The mouth is oblique, 

 and the hind end of the upper jaw reaches to below 

 the middle of the eye. The back-fins are slightly 

 connected by membrane; the first is high, its fourth 

 spine being much more than half as long as the 

 head. The second anal spine is half as long as 

 the head. The head forms one third of the total 

 length without the tail-fin. The first back-fin has 

 nine spines; the second, one spine and twelve rays. 

 The anal fin has three spines and nine rays. The 

 lateral line pierces fifty scales. 



Color in life, brassy tinged with olivaceous 

 above; seven very marked black stripes on the 

 sides, those below the lateral line interrupted so 

 that the posterior part alternates with the anterior. 



The fish reaches a length of eighteen inches, and 

 a weight of five pounds; individuals weighing three 

 pounds are not rare, but the usual weight is from 

 one to two pounds. ^ 



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