948 FISHES — CENTRARCHID^. 



Analysis of Species of Mickofterus. 



a. Month smaller, the maxillary in the adult not extending beyond oibit ; scales 

 smaller, 72-75 in the lateral line; 10-12 series above the lateral line; odor of 

 yonng more or less barred or spotted, without dark lateral band. 



DOLOMIEU. 125. 



aa. Mouth very large, the maxillary in the adult extending beyond the orbit ; scales 

 rather large, 65-70 in the lateral line ; 7-8 series above lateral line ; last spines 

 of dorsal very short, so that the fin is almost divided into two ; young with a 

 blackish lateral band salmoides. 126. 



125. MicROPiERus DOLOMIEU.* Lacepede. 

 The Small-mouthed Black Bass. 



Micropterua dolomieu, Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss., iv, 325. — Hbnshall, Book of the 



Black Bass, 1881, 84. 

 Bodianus aehigan, Kafineeque, Monthl. Mag. and Critic. Eev., 1817, 120. 

 Micropterus aehigan, Gill, Rept. Commr. Ag., 1866, 407. 

 Calliurut punctulatusj Rafinesque, Ich. Oh., 1820, 26. 



Lepomis trifasoiata, flexuolaris, salmonea, and notata, Rafineeque, Ich. Oh., 1830, 31, 32. 

 EtheoBtoma calliura, Rafinesque, Ich. Oh., 1820, 36. 

 Cichla faxAata, ohienais and minima, LeSueuh, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., ii, 216, 218, 



220.— KiRTLAND, Zool. Oh., 1838, 191. 

 CentrarcJtus faaoiatua, Kirtland, Best. Journ. Nat. Hist., v, 1842, 28. — DeKat, New 



York Fauna Pishes, 1842, 28. 

 Grystes salmoidei, Cuv. and Val., Hist. Nat Poiss., iii, 1854, 54, and of numerous authors. 

 Micropterus salmoides, Gill, Proo. Am. Ass. Adv. Sci., B. 1873, 55. — Jordan, Man. Vert , 



E. U. S., 2d Ed., 1878, 236; Pros. U. S. Nat. Mus., ii, 1880, 218, and of most recent 



American Writers. 

 Centrarchus obsourus, DkKay, New York Fauna. Fishes, 1842, 30. 



Body ovate-fusiform, becoming deeper with age ; head large ; mouth large, but 

 smaller than in M. salmoides, the maxillary ending considerably in front of the hinder 

 margin of the orbit ; scales on the cheek minute, in about 17 rows ; scales on the trunk 

 comparatively small ; dorsal fin deeply notched, but less so than in M. salmoides ; color- 

 ation quite variable, the young dull, golden green, with bronzed lustre, darker spots 

 along the sides, which tend to form short vertical bars, but never a dark lateral band, 

 nsually three bronzed bands radiating from eye across cheeks and opercles ; a dnsky 

 spot on point of operculum ; belly white ; caudal fin yellowish at base, then black, with 

 white tips; dorsal with bronze spots, its edge dusky. In some waters the fin-markings 

 are obsolete, but usually they are very conspicuous in the young. Southern specimens 

 usually have the scales of the lower part of the sides with faint dark streaks ; adult 

 specimens have all these marks more or less wholly obliterated, and become ultimately 

 of a uniform dead -green, without silvery luster; head 3^; depth 3^; D X, 13; A. Ill, 

 10 or 11 ; scales 11-74-17. Length 1 to 2 feet. Average weight when adult 4 or 5 pounds. 



Habitat, all streams of United States from Vermont and Western New York to South 

 Carolina, Arkansas, and Dakota, preferring clear or cold waters. 



• For full synonymy, see (Henshall) " Book of the Black Bass." 



