The Bass Family 97 



comes more arched, and the belly more pendu- 

 lous. The head equals in length the depth of the 

 body usually. The mouth is large, opening ob- 

 liquely ; the snout is rather sharp, and the lower 

 jaw projects. The color is olivaceous, often 

 bluish on the back, sides with silvery lustre, fad- 

 ing to white on the belly. There are six to eight 

 horizontal rows of dark spots, forming interrupted 

 stripes, four or five running from head to caudal 

 fin, with three shorter ones below; the fins are 

 pale and usually unmarked. It is found within 

 the range given during the entire year, though 

 it frequents certain situations at different seasons. 

 The largest fish resort to the rocky shores of the 

 bays and indentations of the coast between the 

 shores and outer reefs, those of smaller size fre- 

 quent the estuaries and tideways, and still smaller 

 ones seek the shallower and quieter waters. 



It spawns in the spring, usually in May, in 

 both fresh and brackish water. Large schools 

 ascend rivers for long distances in the spring, 

 more particularly those rivers resorted to by 

 the shad, which they seem to follow, perhaps for 

 the purpose of feeding on shad spawn, as they 

 are said to do. Others follow the smelt up cer- 

 tain rivers farther north. A large female will 



