178 The American Naturalist. [March, 
A Peculiar Habit of the Black Bass.— I once ob- 
served a singular race between a Black Bass ( Micropterus 
dolomieu,) and a soft shelled Turtle ( Aspidonectes spinifer ) and 
her young. The first noticed was the old Turtle and her 
young swimming steadily up stream, turning neither to the 
right hand or to the left, ( an unusual occurrence, so far as my 
observations extend,) and closely followed by a large Black 
Bass. Both the mother Turtle and her young appeared very 
much exhausted, and would very often come to the surface for 
air. The young Turtle, if not disturbed would swim close be- 
hind its mother, but the Bass, who was always hovering over 
or following a foot or so in the rear, would often make a lunge 
for the young one, and apparently bite it, which would cause it 
to instantly dart under its parent, and swim in this position un- 
til compelled to come to the surface to breathe. The young 
one finally became so exhausted and worried by the Bass, that 
at three different times it was observed to lay hold of the edge 
of its parent's shell with its mouth, and thus compel her to 
take it in tow. Not the slightest attention was paid to the 
young one by its parent. 
Several times two or three Red Horse }{Moxostoma macrole- 
pidoturn^ attempted to join in the chase, but was each time 
immediately driven away by the Bass. This performance was 
watched some time by me, and when the trio was last seen, 
the "play" was still going on. 
We have at other times and in other places, observed this 
Turtle to be followed by Black Bass. This has also been ob- 
served by Dr. Kirtland, ( Geological Survey of Ohio, Vol. IV, 
Zoology and Botany, P. P. 668—669. ) Whether the Black 
Bass is a natural enemy of this species of Turtle, or what its 
real intention may be in so often following it, we are at pres- 
ent unable to say. — C. L. Webster. 
ARCHEOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY.^ 
Anthropometry. — Anthropology in its literal sense is 
Man Science. It deals with the structure, history and devel- 
opment of men. The complexity of man in nature gives birth 
to many sciences. Some of these are old and some are new. 
This Department is edited by Thomas Wilson Esq., Smithsonian Institution, 
'rr 
