38 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. 



Bocourt, " once more unto the breach/' to tell us what 

 they know about the Black Bass. In their work (Mis- 

 sion Scientifique au Mexique: ined.), they propose once 

 more to split up our genus Micropterus, this time into 

 four' species, viz : 



M. 'variabilis (Le S.) V. & B. (-M. salmoides var. achigan Jordan.) 

 M. dolomieu (Lac.) V. & B. (M. salmoides var. salmoides Jordan.) 

 M. salmoides (Lac.) V. & B. (=M. pallidus (Raf.) Gill & Jordan.) 

 M. nuecensis (G'rd) V. & B. (=M. pallidus, with lingual teeth.) 



Dr.Vaillant, however, has only proposed these species 

 provisionally, and acknowledges that upon examining a 

 considerable number of specimens these specific distinctions 

 shade into each other : 



" Au premier abord, on reconnait sans peine plusieurs types, en 

 ayant egardaux proportions du corps, au nombre des ecailles et a 

 diverges autres particularites. mais si on examine un certain nombre 

 d'individus, les differences s'attenuent par des transitions gradu- 

 elles."* 



Perhaps Dr. Variant's views can not be better expressed 

 than by the annexed analytical table ("tableau dichoto- 

 mique") of provisional species as defined by him, and 

 which explains itself: 



f ll^jn 60 to 70 scales alongf With lingual teeth - - M. nuecensis G'rd. 

 above andbe- ' u to 20 J the lateral line> 1 Without lin S ual teeth - - M. salmoides Lac. 



low the lateral 1 9 to 11 ) (69 to 75 scales 3f. variabilie Le S. 



line " i27to7oj J80 to 86 scales - M. drtomieu Lac. 



It will be observed that Dr. Vaillant proposes the title 



Mission Scientifique au .Mexique, Zool. iv: ined. 



