BLACK BASS. 947 



to Bbades of green. The color of the small-monthed variety Bometimes approaches 

 shades of olive or yellow ; and there will often be more or less red in the iris of the eye, in 

 some instances shading down to orange or yellow. This latter distinction, however, 

 like the donble carve at the base of the caudal fin, and the more forked tail — which 

 have been mentioned as distinguishing characteristics of the small-mouthed variety — 

 cannot be depended on, as one or all of these distinctions are ofcen lacking. 



The furmer name of the large-mouthed species, Micropterus nigricans (C. & V.) Gill, 

 has been very wisely discarded by Professors Gil) and Jordan, who have substituted 

 therefor the more descriptive title of Mioropterus pallidus. This has been done in jus- 

 tice to Rafinesque, whose priority of description of this species certainly entitles him to 

 this acknowledgment. Ichthyologists have, at various times, given to the genus num- 

 erous appellatives, and to the species more than thirty specific names, while laymen in 

 different sections of the country have contributed their quota of vernacular names, 

 among which may be mentioned: Black Bass, Bass, Black Perch, Jumping Perch, 

 Trout, Black Trout, Chub, Green Bigs, Moss Bass, Oiwego Bass, etc. In almost every 

 issue of the Forest and Stream correspondents write of Baas, Baas fishing, Bas3 tackle, 

 etc., meaning Black Bass in each instance, and take it for granted that the legion of 

 readers of that widely circulated journal will understand what particular kind of Bass 

 is meant. Now, this is all wrong, and is owing to the culpable carelessness, or perhaps, 

 in some instances, to a want of proper information, and is a habit that ought to be re- 

 formed. Let us call things by their names — a spade a spade, or a quail a quail. It ig 

 just as easy to right the distinctive name " Black Bass" as the general name "Bass." 

 Bass is a very vague term at best, meaning one thing in one part of the country and a 

 totally different thing in another. Along the Eastern coast it means either a Striped 

 Bass or a Sea Bass ; in the West it may be either a Black Bass, a Rook Baas, a White 

 Bass, or a Silver Bass; while in Otsego county. Now York, it means an Otsego Bass, 

 which is not a Bass at all. Then again, your correspondents write of the real Black 

 Bass, meaning generally M. salmoides, the small-mouthed species, seeming to imply that 

 the other species is not real, or at least is not the Black Bass, but something else — a 

 kind of pseudo variety. Others, in writing of the large-mouthed species, if. pallidus — 

 owing to Its former name, M. nigrieans — have called it the real Black Bass, under the 

 impression that, as it was named nigricans, i. e., black, the other variety must be some 

 other color, and was not the Simon pure article. Now, one species is not more real than 

 the other ; the small-mouthed variety is regarded as the type species, because it was the 

 first to be described. It is thought by some to be a gamier fish than the large-mouthed 

 variety ; indeed, I have sometimes thought so myself; but this notion, like the gusta- 

 tory superiority of the canvas- back among ducks, the delectable excellence of the brook 

 trout among fish, or the exquisite ambrosial fl ivor of Veuve Cliquot among wines, exists 

 more in the imagination than in reality. Both varieties of the Black Bass are equally 

 good as game fish, and equally good for the table. The term " Black Bass," then, is 

 distinctive, and should always be used when alluding to the genus generally. In writ- 

 ing of the different species, they should be mentioned as the small-mouthed Black Bass, 

 or the large-mouthed Black Baas, as the case may be, no matter whether the color be 

 black, green, or yellow. Every reader will then know exactly what is meant, and much 

 of the confusion and uncertainty that now prevail will be cleared away. 



