954 BUI.LETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



very well and can stand great heat and great cold. While Lake Manate, which 

 is of far greater depth, produced only a little more than i kilogram per hectare, 

 the shallow Lake Varano with its swampy bottom produced 35 kilograms of 

 sunfish per hectare during the past year. 



The black bass also flourished in this lake (table vii), yielding somewhat 

 less than 10 kilograms per hectare. The fishing is very irregular and uncertain, 

 however, some 100 kilograms being caught one day, while on the next not one 

 fish maybe found. The black bass can be transported safely alive. Its flesh is 

 boneless and very palatable, but its plump shape and big head make its sale 

 difficult. There is much around the head that can be eaten, but most people 

 prefer the zander. The growth of the black bass is markedly greater than that 

 of the river perch. While the latter seldom reaches i kilogram and this in some 

 eight or nine years, the black bass reaches this weight in three years. It 

 increased in number considerably during the first years, but later, when there 

 were many large individuals, these ate up many of the smaller of their species. 

 It has no effect whatever on the other fishes in the lake, except Alburnus alborella, 

 which it has eaten up entirely. I certainly prefer the zander, but it can not be 

 introduced into all waters, while the black bass will thrive anywhere. 



I have also introduced the black bass in small lakes with great success and 

 at a small cost. In order to make this success lasting, however, it is necessary 

 to introduce the sunfish at the same time. The small bleak is soon eaten up 

 by the black bass, the sunfish alone, on account of its enormously prolific 

 propagation, being able to withstand and keep ahead of this terrible devourer. 



On account of the defective organization on the part of our government 

 in respect to fisheries, it is impossible for me to report on the introduction of 

 rainbow trout in public waters, or on catfish, black bass, and sunfish in 

 other lakes. It may be seen, however, from the above reports, that great 

 advantages may be reaped from the introduction of these and other American 

 fishes. 



