HisTOEr OF TJ-iE Black Bass. 21 



Micropterus (little-fin) is really less objectionable than 

 any of the names proposed for the genus, for it has, com- 

 paratively, smaller fins than any of the related genera, 

 though not in the sense intended by Lacepede. 



CalKurus (beautiful tail) is not at all characteristic of 

 the genus, though the young of the small-mouth species, 

 in certain localities, has the tail marked as described by 

 Eafinesque : " base yellow, middle blackish, tip white." 



Grystes (growler) is certainly not applicable in this 

 sense. I never met an angler who had heard a black bass 

 " growl," yet it was on the supposition that it did so, that 

 Cuvier gave it this name. We had better stop here, for 

 if we go farther we shall fare worse. We will now refer 

 to the objectionable features of the specific names dolomieu 

 and salmoides. 



Salmoides (trout-like; literally, salmon-like). Lacepede 

 conferred this name simply (and appropriately, so far as he 

 was concerned) because the figure was sent to him as the 

 " trout," or " trout-perch " of Carolina. If we take its 

 game qualities into consideration, there is no fish that is 

 so " salmon-like " as the black bass ; none that exhibits so 

 nearly the characteristic leap, the pluck, and the endur- 

 ance of the " king of the waters." The name is, therefore, 

 not altogether inappropriate. 



Dolomieu being a French proper noun, without a Latin 

 or genitive form, might be considered objectionable. 

 Lacepede used the name, however, in this form, advisedly; 

 not through ignorance, nor by accident, but for the sake of 

 euphony, and to perpetuate the name of his friend in its 

 integrity. In order to recognize and respect Lacepede's 

 motive, it is best to let the name stand just as he wrote it, 

 dolomieu. As Dr. Vaillant adopts this form, and doubt- 

 less for the same reason, it is important for the sake of 



