CHAPTER IV. 



COLORATION OF THE BLACK BASS. 



"And it is so with many kinds of fish, and of trouts especially ; which 

 differ in their bigness and shape, and spots and color." IZAAK WAL.TON. 



THE external appearance of the Black Bass, as exhibited 

 in the colors and markings, differs so greatly and con- 

 stantly in different sections of our country, that it would 

 be useless to describe them minutely in a specimen from 

 any given locality ; for as the vernacular names of fishes 

 are usually bestowed with reference to the outward pecu- 

 liarities of coloring, this has already given rise to much 

 confusion in naming the species. Thus they are called 

 black, green, or yellow Bass, respectively, in different sec- 

 tions of the United States, and not without reason, for 

 black, green and yellow are the predominating primary 

 colors of the two species, though these colors are often 

 toned down to any of the intermediate shades, with plum- 

 beous, olivaceous or ochreous tints. 



The color, however, is always darkest on the back, with 

 a gradual shading or paling towards the belly or abdomen, 

 which is always white or whitish. Where the two species 

 of Black Bass are common to the same stream or lake, 

 the small-mouthed Bass is generally the darkest in color, 

 though this is by no means an invariable rule; for in 

 other waters the small-mouthed Bass may be of a lighter 

 or paler hue than the other species usually yellowish- 

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