CHAPTER Y. 



GEOGEAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 



"You may remember that I told you, Gesner says there are no pikes 

 in Spain; and doubtless, there was a time, about a hundred or a few more 

 years ago, when there were no carps in England." IZAAK WALTON. 



THE Black Bass is wholly unknown in the Old World, 

 except where recently introduced, and exists, naturally, 

 only in America. The original habitat of the species is 

 remarkable for its extent, for, with the exception of the 

 New England States and the Atlantic seaboard of the 

 Middle States, it comprises the whole of the United States 

 east of the Rocky Mountains, Ontario (Canada), and East 

 Mexico. So far, but one species, the large-mouthed Bass, 

 is known to inhabit Florida, but it is my opinion that the 

 small-mouthed species will also be found in some of the 

 streams in the western part of that State. 



Of late years the range of the Black Bass has been ex- 

 tended through the efforts of public-spirited individuals, 

 and by the Fish Commissioners of various. States ; so that 

 at the present time this noble fish may be said to have a 

 " local habitation and a name " in every State of the Union. 

 It has also been successfully introduced into England. 



The following account, by the late James W. Milner, 

 Assistant U. S. Fish Commissioner, of the introduction 

 of the Black Bass into new waters, will be found very in- 

 teresting and instructive, and is taken from the Report 

 of the U. S. Fish Commissioner for the years 1872-73 : 

 (154) 



