at the minnow and hanged itself, and that the larger 

 bass had struck at the smaller bass and landed on the 

 hook. If the Colonel's theory is correct, there remains 

 no doubt but what the species will destroy its kind, 

 and the several experiences conclusively establish the 

 fact that the small-mouthed bass will endeavor to 

 capture anything alive that comes within his reach, 

 even if it chokes him to take care of it. No less 

 startling was the discovery made by my boatsman 

 Walter, when, while dressing a bass, he took from 

 its stomach the perfect shell of a small turtle, which 

 in time the fish would have disgorged as it is fully 

 capable of doing. 



49 



