136 SCIENCE OP FISHING. 



and the head of the large mouth is hollowed slightly. Th'ere 

 is also a difference in the scales those of the small mouth 

 are smaller than the scales of the large mouth black bass. 



The color of both varies greatly in different parts and 

 various waters and in some the smaller species is darker, 

 while in other places the reverse is true. The color of 

 either may be anything from a pale greenish yellow, almost 

 white in fact, to a very deep green or almost black. They 

 are always darkest on the back. Either species may show 

 transverse or longitudinal markings on the sides. The long- 

 itudinal markings are seen most frequently on the large 

 mouthed species. 



In weight the small mouth black bass runs in most waters 

 from two to three pounds, though much larger ones are some- 

 times caught. In most places five pounds may be considered 

 the maximum weight of this fish, but in certain waters they 

 have been known to reach a weight of eleven pounds, and 

 even more. In many places one may fish for years and 

 never get a fish weighing over three pounds. The large 

 mouthed black bass runs somewhat heavier in the central 

 and northern sections, but in the South it grows to a much 

 greater weight, and in certain waters of Florida they weigh 

 from twelve to fifteen pounds and specimens of twenty pounds 

 have been taken. 



Black bass spawn in spring, earlier in the South than 

 in the North. The spawning season may commence as early 

 as March in Florida and as late as the middle of May in 

 Canada. In Ohio most of them spawn in May and this is 

 closed season for catching them. A black bass on the 

 spawning bed will bite at anything that is thrown on the 

 bed, but no true sportsman will catch a fish in spawning 

 time. 



The food of the black bass consists of all kinds of small 

 animal life to be found in the waters they inhabit. They 

 eat craw-fish, small fish, helgramites, worms, bugs and insects 



