HABITS OF THE BLACK BASS. 167 



"The largest small-mouthed Bass ever caught in this 

 region, was a five pound fish from the Hudson River, 

 ^ taken by Colonel Jeptha Garrard, of Cincinnati, with a fly, 

 while fishing with me. Two years later, I caught one of 

 equal weight, near the same place." 



The following very interesting account of the food and 

 growth of the Black Bass, and which, at the same time, 

 exhibits its voracity and pugnacity, was contributed to 

 the columns of Forest and Stream, by William A. Mynster, 

 of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Mr. Mynster is an exceptionally 

 close observer, and takes especial delight in watching and 

 tending his " finny pets :" 



I had a dam constructed in my spring branch, immediately 

 below my fish ponds, in such a manner as to form a small body of 

 pure, clear water. In this I placed some seven or eight hundred 

 native fish of different varieties, embracing the black bass, sheeps- 

 heads, buffaloes, and pickerel. From the banks of this body of clear 

 water I was ermbled to see every movement of my finny pets, and 

 many moments of leisure have I spent in watching their habits. 

 The Black Bass (Micropterus pallidus) would usually swim into the 

 current, where he would sport about on the gravelly bottom, while 

 the buffalo would retire into stiller water and browse in the grass 

 and water-cress growing on the bottom. 



Thus I ascertained their habits of feeding, and was enabled to 

 determine what growth they would make in a given time without 

 being fed artificially. Hence I seldom, if ever gave them any food. 

 The Buffalo (Bubalichthys bubalus), in a few weeks became attenuated, 

 and began dying. This I attributed to their being in cold spring 

 water with a current too rapid, and their not being able to procure 

 sufficient food. The Black Bass, on the other hand, thrived amaz- 

 ingly well, and were making a most marvelous growth. This I 

 attributed to the fact that they were in pure water of a uniform 

 temperature. The Bass, although found in all kinds of water, un- 

 doubtedly thrive best in clear, pure, spring brooks with gravelly 

 bottom. The size of these Bass when I first put them in this place 



