86 Bass, Pike, and Percb 



THE WHITE-BASS 



(^Roccus chrysops) 



Rocciis chrysops. The White-bass. Body oblong, deep, and com- 

 pressed ; head 3}; depth 2\: eye 5; D. IX-I, 14; A. Ill, 

 12 ; scales 10-60-15 \ mouth moderate, maxillary reaching 

 middle of pupil ; a patch of teeth at base of tongue, and a 

 patch on each side ; preopercle serrate ; subopercle with a 

 deep notch : lower jaw somewhat projecting ; dorsal fins sepa- 

 rate ; gill-rakers long and slender, x -\- 14. 



Moroiie iiiterrtipta. The Yellow-bass. Body oblong, ovate, the 

 back arched; head 3; depth 2|; eye 4i ; D. IX-I, 12; A. Ill, 

 9; scales 7-50-1 1 ; dorsal fins slightly joined ; jaws subequal; 

 no teeth on base of tongue : gill-rakers moderate, x 4- 13 to 16; 

 preorbital and suprascapula serrate. 



The white-bass was first described by Rafi- 

 nesque in 1820 from the falls of the Ohio River, 

 near Louisville, Kentucky. He named it chrys- 

 ops, or " gold eye," owing to the golden hue of 

 the iris. It is known also as white lake-bass 

 and fresh-water striped-bass. It is abundant in 

 Lake Erie, Lake Michigan, and upper Mississippi 

 River, especially in Lake Pepin, and in Lake 

 Winnebago, W^isconsin. It was formerly not 

 uncommon in the Ohio River, but is now rare. 

 Its body is compressed and rather deep, with 

 the back arched ; its head is rather small, but 

 the mouth is large, with the lower jaw protrud- 

 ing ; the eye is large ; teeth brushlike, without 



