CHAPTER II 
REPORT UPON THE FISHES EXCLUSIVE OF THE SALMONIIIAE. 
AMBLOPLITES ACNEUS, Agass. 
Black Bass, &c. 
Plate I. 
Sp. Ch.—P osterior extremity of maxillary extending to a vertical line intersecting the pupil. Insertion of ventrals 
opposite the base of the pectorals. Anterior spiny ray of anal fin under the ninth dorsal one. Posterior margin of caudal 
fin slightly emarginated. Upper regions of head and body of a coppery brown ; inferior regions, yellowish brown. 
Syn.— Cichla cenea, Lesu. Jour. Acad. Nat. Sc. II, 1822, 214, fig.— Kirtl. Rep. Zool. Ohio, 18,168,191. 
Centrarchus aeneus, Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat Poiss. Ill, 1829, 84.— Rich. Faun. Bor. Amer. Ill, 1836, 18. PL Ixxv.— 
DeKay, New Y. Fauna, 1842, 27, PI. ii, fig. 4.— Kirtl. Bost. Jour. Nat. Hist. IV. 1842, 229. PI. xi, fig. 1. — 
Storer, Synops. 1846, 37. 
“ Ambloplites aeneus, Agass.” Girard, Gen. Rep. Fishes, P. R. R. Reports, X, 1858, 8. 
Black Bass; Black Sunfish, &c. Vernacular. 
The black bass is quite abundant in the lakes of western Minnesota. I have obtained them 
from the small lakes near Fort Snelling and also from LightiTing lake, where they are very 
common, and attain a comparatively large size; the adults averaging more than a foot in 
length. 
They take bait greedily, and I have caught many with the “ revolving spoon.” The flesh 
of the fish is excellent when cooked, comparing favorably with that of the pickerel or the pike- 
perch, in whose company it is often found. The best period in the day to fish for the species 
are, as with many others, the hours of early morning, or a brief period before sunset. Our 
command found the addition of such fine fish to their fare very acceptable, especially as the 
region where they were found in greatest abundance was almost entirely destitute of game, 
the buffalo region had not yet been reached, and confinement to bacon and flour had already 
become a hardship. 
POMOTIS LUNA, Grd. 
Northern SunIisEt, or Moon Suufisli. 
Sp. Ch. —Body sub-orbicular iu profile. Head moderate; snout sub-conical. Mouth small; posterior extremity of 
maxillary extending to a vertical line drawn in advance of the anterior rim of the orbit. Eye moderate. Sub-orbital and 
supra-scapular bones not crenated. Edge of preopercle very slightly crenated. Opercular flap small. Spinous portion of 
dorsal fin of moderate height, and lower than the soft; its origin being situated opposite the base of the pectorals, and con¬ 
sequently in advance of the origin of the ventrals. Caudal fin posteriorly emarginate. Tips of ventrals overlapping the 
vent but do not reach the anterior margin of the anal. Extremities of pectorals nearly even with the tips of ventrals. 
Greenish brown above, yellowish beneath; sides of head with blue and yellow lines. Fins unicolor, either yellowish or 
greenish olive. (Colors described from alcoholic specimens.) 
Syn. — Pomolis vulgaris, Richards., Faun. Bor. Amer. Ill, 1836, 24; pi. Ixxvi.— Agass. Lake Super. 1850, 293. 
Pomolis luna, Grd. in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. November, 1857.— Ibid. Gen. Rep. Fishes, 22. 
Northern Sunfish. Vernacular. 
