EOCK BASS. 945 



Micropterua floridanm. In 1877 I called Prof. Gill's attention to the fact that there were 

 big-monthed as well as small-moathed Black Bass in the streams where Bafinesqne 

 fished, and he agreed with me at once that the LepomU pallida of Bafinesqne was the 

 big-month, which is why the big-monthed Black Bass, Oswego Bass, Grass Bass, ^nd 

 Bayon Bass is Micropterus palUdus (Eafinesqne) Gill and Jordan, at present date, and 

 sncli may it ever remain. 



Now, as to the name of the genns itself, the difflcnlty is jnst as great. The name 

 Micropterut is nnqnestionably the oldest. Bnt (a) we are perhaps not absolutely certain 

 that the original Micropterus dolomieu was a Black Bass at all ; (i) it was described as 

 distinct under the erroneous impression that it had a little adipose fin behind the dor- 

 sal, and (c) the name (small fin) refers to this imaginary peculiarity, and is, therefore, 

 incorrect. 



On the other hand, the Black Bass really has smaller fins than any of its relatiyes, 

 and the name has, therefore, a certain appropriateness. I think, with Prof. Gill, that 

 it shonld be retained, although Prof. Cope and others, as good authority as we are, are 

 inclined to demur. 



Next comes Calliurus (beautiful tail), not a bad name, for the young Bass have the tail 

 ornamented with black, white, and yellow, bnt not a very good name. Then comes 

 Lepomis (scaly opercles), previously applied to the sunfishes, and, therefore, not usable 

 for a Bass. Then comes Eafinesque's JpUtei, Nemooampsis, DiopUtes, and Apleaion, un- 

 worthy of any attention, although for some reason DiopUtea has kept up asort of life, 

 while the other three have wholly died. 



Next comes the name Huro for the large-monthed, and Grj/ates for the small- mouthed. 

 Of course the two do not belong to separate genera. The name Gryatea was given as a 

 translation of the name Growler, under which name the Black Bass was sent to the 

 museum at Parir. Thus, our two species are often called in foreign books ihe Black 

 Huron {Huro nigricaru), and the Salmon-formed Growler (Grystea aalmoides). The name 

 Gryatea is a graceful one, and has been used more frequently than any other, but there 

 are seven names ahead of it on the record, and first (•me first served, and synonymy 

 take the hindmost. 



The names Labrua, Bodianua, Cichla, and Cenirarchua belong to wholly different fishes, 

 and were given by different authors through mistakes as to the relationship of the 

 Black Bass. 



1 trust that this hasty and rather rambling account will be of some service to the 

 nnmerons class of my fishing brethren who like to be right in their use of names, and 

 who want to know, yon know, but who, like Wilhelm Tell, cannot " lange brilfen oder 

 wdhlen." 



The above account contains two fallacies, which vitiate the nomen- 

 clature there adopted, namely, the assigning of priority of date to the 

 name Lahrus aalmoides, and the supposition that this name referred to 

 the Small-mouthed Bass. These errors came from an examination of a 

 reprint of Lacepede, and were exposed on the receipt of a copy of the 

 original edition. These are : - (a) the earliest published notice of a 

 Black Bass was under the name of Micropterus dolomieu. This notice re- 

 ferred to one of the small-mouthed species, which must, therefore, of 

 course, be known as Micropterus dolomieu. (6) The second notice in point 



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