BASS AND SUNFISH 



383 



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. 



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 1 

 species terminates under the rear corner of the 

 eye. The range of the latter is from Manitoba, 

 southward to the Gulf states, and spreads 



bass is so close as to be at first sight a little con- 

 fusing. But spread the dorsal fin to its full ex- 

 tent, and it will tell the story. In the Rock 

 Bass it is long, rather low, and its front half con- 

 tains eleven stout spines, of nearly equal length. 

 The calico bass has a short and high dorsal fin, 

 with only seven large spines; and the body of 

 the fish is of greater depth. 



The Rock Bass is a fish of the Great Lakes 

 region and Mississippi valley — a clear-water fish, 



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Drawn by J. Carter Beard. 



1. SMALL-MOUTHED BLACK BASS. 



2. CALICO BASS. 



through the latter to Texas and Florida. In 

 twelve months of 1897-9 the catch of Black 

 Bass for market amounted to 1,785,418 pounds, 

 valued at $100,095. 



The Rock Bass, or Red-Eye, 2 stands next in 

 width of body to the black bass, and intermediate 

 between it and the next species. Sometimes 

 the resemblance between the Rock and calico 



1 M. sal-moi'des. 2 Am-blop'li-tes ru-pes'tris. 



3. COMMON SUNFISH. 



4. YELLOW PERCH. 



of habits quite similar to the black bass. Every 

 way considered, it is a very perfect connecting 

 link between the black bass and the next species. 

 Its weight seldom exceeds 1^ pounds. 



The Warmouth Bass s is a. fish of the South, 

 and in form is an intermediate between the rock 

 bass and calico bass. 



The Calico Bass, or Strawberry Bass, 4 is a 



3 C'hae-no-bryt'tus gu-lo'sus. i Po-mox'is spa-roi'des. 



