BLACK BASS. 947 
to shades of green. The color of the small-mouthed variety sometimes approaches 
shades of olive or yellow ; and there will often be more or less red in the iris of the eye, in 
some instances shading down to orange or yellow. This latter distinction, however, 
like the double curve at the base of the caudal fin, and the more forked tail—which 
have been mentioned as distinguishing characteristics of the smajl-mouthed variety— 
cannot be depended on, as one or all of these distinctions are eften lacking. 
The former name of the large-mouthed species, Micropterus nigricans (C. & V.) Gill, 
has been very wisely discarded by Professors Gill and Jordan, who have substituted 
therefor the more descriptive title of Micropterus pallidus. ‘This has been done in jus- 
tice to Ratinesque, whose priority of description of this species certainly entitles him to 
this acknowledgment. Ichthyologists have, at various times, given to the eenus nume 
erous appellatives, and to the species more than thirty specific names, while laymen in 
different sections of the country have contributed their quota of vernacular names, 
among which may-be mentioned: Black Bass, Bass, Black Perch, Jumping Perch, 
Trout, Black Trout, Chub, Green Bass, Moss Bass, Oswego Bass, etc. In almost every 
issue of the Forest and Stream correspondents write of Bass, Bass fishing, Bass tackle,, 
etc., meaning Black Bass in each instance, and take it for granted that the legion of 
readers of that widely circulated journal will understand what particular kind of Bass. 
is meant. Now, this is all wrong, and is owing to the culpable carelessness, or perhaps, 
in some instances, to a want of proper information, and is a habit that ought to be re- 
formed. Let us call things by their names—a spade a spade, er a quaila quail. Itis 
just as easy to right the distinctive name ‘‘ Black Bass” as the general name ‘‘ Bass.” 
Bass is @ very vague term at best, meaning one thing in one part of the country anda 
totally different thing in another. Along the Eastern coast it means either a Striped 
Bass or a Sea Bass; in the West it may be either a Black Bass, a Rock Bass, a White 
Bass,,or a Silver Bass; while in Otsego county, New York, it means an Otsego Bass, 
which is not a Bass at all. Then again, your correspondents write of the real Biack 
Bass, meaning generally M7. salmoides, the small-mouthed species, seeming to imply that 
the other species is not real, or at least is not the Black Bass, but something else—a, 
kind of pseudo variety. Others, in writing of the large-mouthed species, M. pallidus— 
owing to its former name, M. nigricans—have called it the real Black Bass, under the 
impression that, as it was named nigricans, ¢. e., black, the other variety must be some 
other color, and was not. the Simon pure article. Now, one species is not more real than 
the other; the small-mouthed variety is regarded as the type species, because it waa the 
first to be described. It is thought by some to be a gamier fish than the large-mouthed 
variety ; indeed, I have sometimes thought so myself; but this notion, like the gusta- 
tory superiority of the canvas- back among ducks, the delectable excellence of the brook 
trout among fish, or the exquisite ambrosial flavor of Veuve Cliquot among wines, exists 
more in the imagination than in reality. Both varieties of the Black Bass are equally 
good as game fish, and equally good for the table. The term ‘Black Bass,” then, is 
distinctive, and should always be used when alluding to the genus generally. In writ- 
ing of the different species, they should be mentioned as the smail-monuthed Black Bass, 
or the large-mouthed Black Bass, as the case may be, no matter whether the color be. 
black, green, oi yellow. Every reader will then know exactly what is meant, and much 
of the confusion and uncertainty that now prevail will be cleared away. 
