54 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. 



the matter plain, I have reproduced, at the close of this 

 chapter, fac-simile representations of Lacepede's plates of 

 both Labrus salmoides and Micropterus dolomieu, with his de- 

 scriptions, from the original edition of his " Histoire Nat- 

 urelle des Poissons." 



In the first place, as Professor Jordan says of the figure 

 of Labrus salmoides : " if we must choose, the large-mouth 

 is best represented." This is reasonably correct, for no 

 one could mistake this figure for a small-mouthed Black 

 Bass. Then, Lacepede's description says the opening of 

 the mouth is very large ("Pouverture de la bouche fort 

 large "). The radial formula of the dorsal fin is given as 

 nine spinous rays and thirteen soft rays (" neuf rayons 

 aiguilione's et treize rayons articules a la nageoire du 

 dos"). This number of dorsal spines will hold good 

 in seventy-five per cent, of cases, in the large-mouthed Bass 

 of the South ; sometimes there will be found but eight. 

 The rest of the description will apply to either species. 

 Then, again, Lacepede, on the authority of M. Bosc, says the 

 species is very abundant in the rivers of Carolina, where 

 they are called " Trout," and are caught with the hook 

 baited with a minnow (" On trouve un tres-grande nombre 

 d'indivdus de cette espece dans toutes les rivieres de la 

 Caroline ; on leur donne le nom de traut ou truite. On les 

 prend a Phamegon ; on les attire par le moyen de morceaux 

 de cyprin"). 



Now, if we had not been trying to reconcile Labrus 

 salmoides with the small-mouthed Bass, contrary to the 

 evidence of our own senses, so as to accord with Cuvier's 

 creation of the complex Grystes salmoides becoming blind 

 to the points of difference and enlarging upon the vague- 

 ness and inaccuracy of the drawing and its description we 



