THIRTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 1T7 
of Lake Superior and the Straits of Macinac are preferable to 
those of other waters of the United States. I have eaten broiled 
white-fish at the old Mission House, at Mackinac, for twenty- 
one meals a week and like Oliver Twist, asked for more. It re- 
sembles, more than any other fish, the pompano in flavor, and in 
my opinion is second only to that peerless fish in its excellence 
for the table. 
The brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), when freshly caught, I 
consider, among the fresh-water fishes, next to the white-fish for 
the table; but as obtained at the restaurants, I prefer the black 
bass or pike-perch. When served up in camp beside a trout 
stream (the small ones fried, the large ones boiled), the flesh is 
pinkish, very firm, and of a delicate, delicious flavor, though 
rather too dry to suit some palates. It is a fish that will not 
bear transportation, however carefully packed, without losing 
its savor; and this is likewise true of all delicately-flavored fishes. 
Moreover, it will retain and absorb the “twang,” and smack of 
the packing material or the container. 
The black bass (A@icropterus).—Next to the freshly caught and 
cooked brook trout, I rank the black bass of either species. Its 
flesh is pure white, firm, flaky, free from small bones and of a 
rich, sapid flavor when in proper condition. Just after the 
spawning period the flesh has a musky taste and odor, which is 
disagreeable to’some persons. The character of the water has 
much to do with the excellence of the black bass for the table, 
and as it inhabits so many waters of different conditions of pur- 
ity and temperature, there are as many opinions of its gustatory 
qualities. The small-mouthed bass is generally the best flavored, 
as it usually exists in the purest waters; but where both species 
co-exist in the same water there is no apparent difference in 
taste or flavor. I have eaten small-mouthed bass of some waters 
which were inferior to large-mouthed bass of others. Contrary 
to a popular impression, I will state that the finest-flavored black 
bass I ever ate, and even superior to any brook trout I ever 
tasted, were large-mouthed bass of certain streams in Florida, 
notably the upper waters of St. Lucie river, on the east coast, 
and the Weckawachee river, on the west coast. These are re- 
