TWELFTH ANNUAL MEETING. 20 
which he thought was caused by the heat and the change of the 
time of meeting. Carried. 
The meeting then adjourned until 2.30 P.M. 
When assembling again the following paper was read: 
ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE BLACK BASS. 
BY DR. J. A. HENSHALL. 
In this brief paper the writer intends merely to give the facts, 
as they exist, relative to the distribution of the black bass species, 
without attempting to draw any conclusions therefore from the 
laws which govern the geographical distribution of fresh-water 
fishes, or to offer any theory concerning the same. A study of 
the habitat of the black bass, however, will, no doubt, aid the 
biologist very materially in solving the problem of the distribu- 
tion of animals. 
The geographical distribution of the black bass is remarkable 
for its extent; the original habitat of one or other of the two 
species ranging from Virginia to Florida, and from Canada and 
the Red River on the north to Louisiana and East Mexico. In 
other words, it might be stated that the original geographical 
range of this representative American fish embraced the whole 
of North America, south of the British possessions and east of 
the Rocky Mountains, except the waters flowing into the Atlantic 
in New England and the Middle States, thus far excelling any 
other fish of America in its distribution. Of the two species, 
the large-mouthed bass had the widest distribution, occurring 
all through the vast scope of territory mentioned above. The 
small-mouthed bass had a somewhat limited range in comparison, 
not extending east or south beyond the Alleghany Mountains, 
though occurring everywhere else with the large-mouthed species. 
At the present day the habitat of the black bass has been ex- 
tended by transportation, and by means of artificial canals, so 
that it may be said to inhabit every State of the Union. It has 
also been successfully introduced into England, Scotland and 
