45,4 
view the Black Bass must be regarded as among the more valuable fish, as — 
although not swelling the lists of market fish as do the Whitefish, Lake Trout 
> 
and Pickerel, it is, nevertheless, as much sought after by sportsmen as the Brook _ 
Trout and the Maskinongé. 
_ The two species of Black Bass, the small-mouthed and the large-mouthed, 
both belong to the genus Micropterus, and are distinguished as WM. dolomieu 
and M. salmoides, Both agree in the elongated oval compressed form of the body, 
the deep division in the course of the dorsal fin, which is much larger than the 
anal, and the fin-formula which is D. X, 13; A. III, 11; but the species differ in 
that the maxillary bone in the small-mouthed species does not extend beyond the 
orbit, whereas it does in the large-mouthed form. Again, the scales are some- 
what larger in the latter, so that they are only 7 to 8 rows above the lateral line 
and. 65 to 70 scales in its course, while in the small-mouthed species 70 to 80 scales 
occur in the lateral line, and there are 10 to 12 rows above it. Further, the dorsal | ‘ 
fin has a deeper notch in the large-mouthed form, which is also thicker through 
the shoulders, deeper in the body and less agile than the small-mouthed form. 
No dependence is to be placed on differences of colouration, for the variability 
in this regard resulting from surroundings is extreme. Mr. Henshaw in his 
Book of the Black Bass states that it wouid be possible to recognize from which 
of twenty small lakes within a radius of eight miles, in a district of Wisconsin 
known to him, any particular specimen of bass came. Where, however, the species 
co-exist, the tendency is for the small-mouthed species to incline to sombre hues, 
the large-mouthed to pale green, although the small-mouthed form is often 
yellowish in places. In the young, the colouration of the two species is more 
distinct, M. salmoides having a distinct dark lateral band and three dark cheek- 
stripes, while M. dolomiew has interrupted lateral blotches but no band, and 
three distinct olive cheek-stripes. 
The geographical range of both species is very wide, but it is probable that 
it will be found that M. salmoides occurs further to the north than does M. 
dolomieu. They affect different surroundings, the large-mouthed species being 
especially found in deep pools around sunken logs, while the small-mouthed 
occurs in rocky streams and about gravelly shores. Their respective vigour and 
gaminess is said to depend on the water in which they occur. Both species have 
a musky odour when caught, the source of which is not understood. 
The food of the Black Bass varies with its age, the fry eating various minute 
larvee, the young fish, worms and tadpoles, and the adults, crayfish, frogs, mussels 
and watersnakes. 
Unlike Pickerel, Pike and Perch, the Black Bass hibernate (except in the 
extreme south) burying themselves in mud and weeds, often under the shelter 
of asunken log. They leave their winter quarters a month or six weeks before 
spawning time, when they run in the streams and shallower parts of the lakes, 
possibly on account of the greater percentage of oxygen in the water there. 
Thereafter they pair and form their nests on a gravelly or sandy bottom, or on a 
rocky ledge in from eighteen inches to three feet of water in streams, but in some- 
what deeper water in lakes. The nests are circular in form, twice the length of the 
fish, are often placed quite close to each other, and, where possible, adjacent to 
deep water or to patches of weeds, to which the parents can retire if disturbed. 
~~ The spawning time varies with the temperature of the region, from early 
spring to midsummer, but it also varies in the same region from two to three 
weeks, shallower waters reaching more rapidly the suitable temperature than do 
deeper waters. 
