142 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. 



is the* angler a creation of the imagination lugged in as an 

 apologist for the large-mouthed Bass ; he is a veritable 

 creature of flesh and blood, of earth earthy, and with the 

 self-conceit, weaknesses and shortcomings characteristic of 

 the genus homo ; I have met him and heard his arguments 

 and sage expressions scores of times, and if you will think 

 a moment I am sure you have met him yourself. 



Icthyologists have at various times given to the genus 

 Micropterus numerous appellatives, and to the species more 

 than fifty specific names, while laymen in different sections 

 of the country have contributed their quota of vernacular 

 names, among which may be mentioned : Bass, Black Bass, 

 Green Bass, Yellow Bass, River Bass, Bayou Bass, Slough 

 Bass, Lake Bass, Moss Bass, Grass Bass, Marsh Bass, Os- 

 wego Bass, Perch, Black Perch, Yellow Perch, Trout 

 Perch, Jumping Perch, Welshman, Salmon, Trout, Black 

 Trout, White Trout, Chub, Southern Chub, Roanoke 

 Chub, etc., etc. 



In addition to this formidable and perplexing array of 

 names, there are other evils which add very much to the 

 confusion attending the nomenclature of the Black Bass. 

 Among them is the careless habit of many correspondents 

 of our sportsmen's journals, who write of Bass, Bass tackle, 

 Bass fishing, etc., meaning Black Bass in each instance, 

 but leave it to the imagination of the readers of those 

 journals as to what particular kind of "Bass" is meant. 



Now this is all wrong, and is owing to gross carelessness, 

 or perhaps in some instances to a want of proper informa- 

 tion, and is a habit that ought to be reformed. We should 

 learn to call things by their right names. A rose by any 

 other name may smell as sweet, but as there are many va- 

 rieties of roses they must be distinguished by correct and 



