BASS IN MOTION 



In the large pond where most of the 

 small-mouthed black bass have been 

 caught for the New York Aquarium 

 for several years, are found white 

 perch, carp, goldfish, and some yellow 

 perch. The bass have increased in 

 number quite rapidly for the past six 

 or seven years. The perch are appar- 

 ently not increasing in number as rap- 

 idly, and are not as large or plump as 

 formerly, which indicates that the bass 

 prey upon the young of probably all of 

 the species previously named. Being 

 told that the small-mouthed black bass 

 were very fond of the hellgramite, some 

 were procured, and two or three were 

 thrown into the tank; the bass looked 

 up at the hellgramite as they floated 

 downward. One or two made a slight 

 start as if to make a strike ; they appar- 

 ently said : "We never ate or saw any 

 such looking things." The large- 

 mouthed bass in a nearby tank, which 

 were taken from the same stream as 

 the hellgramite, instantly recognized 

 them when they were thrown into the 

 water, and all were eagerly seized and 

 swallowed, showing plainly that these 

 bass were fond of hellgramites. Prob- 

 ably all sportsmen who are fond of bass 

 fishing are aware that they are extreme- 

 ly fond of small frogs, In the New 



York Aquarium the bass are fed upon 

 the common salt-water killifish. It is 

 generally several days after being taken 

 from their natural habitat before they 

 will take the killies ; this is without 

 doubt partly due to such a radical 

 change of homes, but it is also apparent 

 that they, like many other species of 

 fishes, have to be taught by persist- 

 ent effort to eat food which is strange 

 to them. 



It may interest some of my readers 

 to know something of the habits of this 

 most excellent fish. Many species of 

 fishes hide under overhanging rocks, 

 beside stones, roots of trees, and among 

 aquatic plants. The small - mouthed 

 black bass tank in the Aquarium is lined 

 with jagged pieces of dark-colored 

 rock, with here and there recesses. If 

 only a casual look at the tank is given, 

 one could not probably see half of the 

 bass in it, but upon closer examination 

 the other occupants will be seen poised 

 in the water close to an uneven place in 

 the rocks at the back of the tank. The 

 only visible movement of the fishes is a 

 slight motion of the pectoral fins just 

 sufficient to maintain a horizontal posi- 

 tion. As the bass can instantly change 

 their color and markings to closely con- 

 form to their surroundings, the reader 



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