BLACK BASS 179 



The Small-Mouthed Black Bass^ is the fish of the 

 East and North, from western New Hampshire to Manitoba, 

 and southward to South Carohna and the northern Gulf 

 states to x\rkansas. 



It is a pity that so fine a fish should not be handsomely 

 colored, but it is really very plain and unattractive. Its back 

 is usually a uniform dull olive-green, the sides being some- 

 what hghter. A Bass of 3 pounds' weight may fairly be 

 counted a large one, but this species has been known to at- 

 tain a length of 18^ inches, and a weight of 5 pounds. 



This is strictly a clear-water fish, and for this reason its 

 capture is a source of pleasure beyond anything that can be 

 drawn from muddy waters. It takes live minnows, or worms, 

 or a neat trolling spoon, but resists the hook and the dip- 

 net to the last extremity. Its flesh is excellent, and its prop- 

 agation a matter of both state and national importance. 

 It has been planted successfully in so many bodies of water 

 outside its original range that the limits of the latter are 

 likely to be lost to view. "Black Bass are increasing all over 

 the country, too much so in some places, as they are cleaning 

 out the trout and other fishes from waters in which the Black 

 Bass never should have been placed." (Hugh M. Smith.) 

 In 1912 the number of Black Bass distributed by the Fish- 

 eries Bureau was 1,065,692. 



The Small-Mouthed Black Bass has the corner of its 

 mouth directly under the front angle of the eye, while the 

 mouth of the Large-Mouthed^ species terminates under the 

 rear corner of the eye. The range of the latter is from Man- 



1 Mi-crop'ter-us dol'o-mieu. ' M. sal-moi'des. 



