Stocking Watees. 121 



longer than the memory of man runneth to the contrary, 

 without a decrease of the latter fish. If then the bass can 

 not "get away with" the cisco in confined waters, how 

 can he " clean out " the shad or salmon in large flowing 

 streams ? Moreover, I know of a small stream in Wiscon- 

 sin that abounded in black bass and crawfish, into which 

 brook-trout were introduced to the discomfiture of the 

 former fish, for the trout increased while: the numbers of 

 the bass grew smaller by degrees and beautifully less. 

 I also know of lakes in Canada that have always been in- 

 habited by both brook trout and large-mouth black bass, 

 with no detriment to the former fish. And, furthermore, 

 the black bass 'will not eat the spawn of his mate, nor 

 that of his fellows' mates. His natural food is the craw- 

 fish and the minnow ; he prefers them, and they are easily 

 procured. On them he will wax and grow fat, increase and 

 multiply. The man who alleges that he depopulates the 

 streams of valuable food fishes, or asserts that he " kills' 

 for the love of it," has never looked into the mouth of the 

 bass with his eyes open, for • its teeth on both jaws are 

 brush-like, incapable of wounding — forming merely a pair 

 of broad, rough forceps for holding its prey securely. 



If, then, there are waters in which the brook-trout or the 

 rainbow-trout will not thrive, there need be no hesitation 

 to aid in the further distribution of the black bass by in- 

 troducing that desirable species. It is easily done, and 

 success is already assured. It is only necessary to look 

 to the Potomac, the Susquehanna, the Delaware and many 

 other streams for evidence of its rapid increase in new 

 waters. 



