222 SOCK BASS 



OHAPTEK XXIH. 



KOCK BASS. 



Centrarchus ^Eneus. This is an entirely distinct spe- 

 cies from the Black Bass, though, being somewhat similar 

 in color and shape, is often confounded with them. The 

 same may be said of the Oswego Bass, which is now 

 ascertained to be equally distinct, though commonly 

 known as bass, and supposed to be identical. The fish 

 under consideration must in no wise be confounded with 

 the Rock-fish of Pennsylvania, which is the Striped Bass, 

 Labrax lineatus, and which the benighted Pennsylva- 

 nians would oblige us by calling by its right name. 



The Eock Bass has two flat points at the angle of the 

 gill-cover, and is distinguished from the variety last de- 

 scribed by six or seven spines and eleven soft rays in the 

 anal fin. The dorsal has eleven spines, and ten or twelve 

 soft rays ; the pectoral fourteen soft rays, the ventral one 

 spine and five soft rays, and the gill-rays are six. The 

 fin-rays are given by Dr. De Kay as follows : 



D. 11.12 ; P. 14 ; Y. 1.5 ; A. 6.11 ; C. 17f . 



This fish is found in much the same waters as the 

 black bass, and, like the latter, made its way on the com- 

 pletion of the Champlain canal through it into the Hudson 

 River. It takes any of the ordinary baits, preferring, 

 however, the cray-fish, Astacus Ba/rtoni, and can be 



