302 AMERICAN FISHES 



and the where, and by whom, and with what bait, and the number, 

 and size ! — what an anxious inquiry after big minnows ! — what a rak- 

 ing and scraping of pond-holes for soft lobsters ! — what a watching of 

 the skies ! — and, if there be no wind, or a zephyr from the south or 

 west, what bright and hopeful faces ! — but if the storm rage, or an 

 easterly wind, however gentle, fan our sleeping bay, what rueful coun- 

 tenances ! — what half-suppressed repining ! — what a woful, spiritless 

 attempting to be busy about our ordinary avocations ! And why this 

 commotion ? Because this is the very prince of our game-fishes. His 

 capture is a less easy task, and involves, or is supposed to involve, 

 more science, and to be a truer proof of merit as an angler, than any 

 other tenant of our crystal waters. But — let me whisper it in thy ear, 

 my friend ! — there is much of fancy in all this. He is a noble fish, 

 and struggles vigorously and most pertinaciously for liberty ; but no 

 art nor skill, unattainable by thee, or any one, is requisite to hook or 

 draw him from his element. 



" This fish beds in our streams and rivers, and probably, too, on 

 the bars and shoals of our bay. Numbers run up the larger streams 

 in May, and bite freely at the worm, in the middle and latter part of 

 that month, in the Tonawanda. His appearance is too familiar to 

 need description. His color varies, though it generally approaches 

 black. I think only the smaller Bass run up the creeks. Those taken 

 in Tonawanda seldom overweigh two or two and a half pounds, and 

 have a greenish hue. In the river they attain a weight of four and four 

 and a half, and even five pounds ; and occasionally heavier ones have 

 been taken, weighing even eight pounds. The river fish, when fresh 

 from the water, is frequently banded, like the Pearch, with broad 

 bars of a darker hue, which disappear, however, and fade into the 

 general color of the fish as he becomes dry. He seldom takes the 

 hook, in the Niagara, until June. He is always fine eating, but i3 

 fattest and best in autumn." 



" He is angled for," says Mr. Brown, " in the usual way, and with 

 the same arrangement of tackle as the Striped Bass or Salmon ; and 

 with some enthusiastic western sportsmen, is thought to give more 

 amusement than either. But the most active and exciting mode of 

 pursuit is with the trolling rod and boat. We are indebted to a friend 

 who has frequented Lake George, for the following interesting com- 

 munication : 



