THE basses: fres h-w ater and marine 



the crappie ( Southern) ; its profile is not so 

 S -shaped; its mouth is not so large; its fins are 

 much higher; the dorsal fin has seven or eight spines 

 and fifteen rays; the color is silvery olive, mottled 

 vi^ith clear olive green, with small bunches of dark 

 motthngs of irregular shape covering the whole 

 body; and there are six rows of scales on the 

 cheeks. 



I have been careful in differentiating these two 

 fish, for of all species living in inland waters they 

 are the most confusing in classification, owing to 

 their approximate identity in habitat, similarity in 

 color and markings, and the strong resemblance 

 of their exterior anatomical make-up. 



Neither of them grow much longer than twelve 

 inches, but both are excellent pan-fish; in fact the 

 crappie and the calico-bass may be called two of the 

 great food-fishes of the extensive area west of 

 the AUeghanies. On many of the Western rivers 

 and lakes, whole families may be seen on flat-boats 

 busily engaged in catching the CampbeUite or 

 lamp-lighter, — two favorite names for the crappie 

 and calico-bass. 



The crappie is not so choice of habitat as the 

 calico-bass, for he is found in and seems to prefer 

 the sluggish waters of ponds and bayous, while the 

 calico is seldom seen in such localities, preferring 

 cold and clear waters, in which, however, the crappie 

 is often found. I have been told that not infre- 



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