948 FISHES—CENTRARCHIDA. 
ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF MICROPTERUS. 
a. Mouth smaller, the maxillary in the adult not extending beyond orbit; scales 
smaller, 72-75 in the lateral line; 10-12 series above the lateral line; color of 
yourg more or less barred or spotted, without dark lateral band. 
DOLOMIEU. 125. 
aa. Mouth very large, the maxillary in the adult extending beyond the orbit; scales 
rather large, 65-70 in the lateral line ; 7-8 series above lateral line; last spines 
of dorsal very short, so that the fin is almost divided into two; young with a 
blackish lateral band. : 5 5 ‘ : : 5 SALMOIDES. 126. 
125. MicRoprerus poLomigu.* Lacepede. 
Whe Small-mouthed Biack Bass. 
Micropterus dolomieu, LACEPEDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., iv, 325.—HENSHALL, Book of the 
Black Bass, 1881, 84. 
Bodianus achigan, RAFINESQUE, Monthl. Mag. and Critic. Rev., 1817, 120. 
Micropterus achigan, GILL, Rept. Commr. Ag., 1866, 407. 
Calliurus punctulatus; RAFINESQUE, Ich. Oh., 1820, 26. 
Lepomis trifasciata, flecuolaris, salmonea, and notata, RAFINESQUE, Ich. Oh., 1820, 31, 32. 
Etheostoma calliura, RAFINESQUE, Ich. Oh., 1820, 36. 
Cichla fasciata, ohiensis and minima, LESUEUR, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., ii, 216, 218, 
220.— KIRTLAND, Zool. Oh., 1838, 191. 
Centrarchus fasciatus, KIRTLAND, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist., v, 1842, 28.—DmKay, New 
York Fauna Fishes, 1842, 28. 
Grystes salmoides, CUV. and VAL., Hist. Nat Poiss., iii, 1854, 54, and of numerous authors. 
Micropterus salmoides, Gti, Proc. Am. Ass. Adv. Sci., B. 1873, 55.—J ORDAN, Man. Vert., 
E.U.S., 2d Ed., 1878, 236; Pros. U.S. Nat. Mus., ii, 1880, 218, and of most recent 
American Writers. 
Centrarchus obseurus, DEKAyY, New York Fauna, Fishes, 1842, 30. 
Body ovate-fusiform, becoming deeper with age; head large; mouth large, but 
smaller than in MU. salmoides, the maxillary ending considerably in front of the hinder 
margin of the orbit; scales on the cheek minute, in about 17 rows; scales on the trunk 
comparatively small; dorsal fin deeply notched, but less so than in M. salmoides ; color- 
ation quite variable, the young dull, golden green, with bronzed lustre, darker spots 
along the sides, which tend to form short vertical bars, but never a dark lateral band, 
usually three bronzed bands radiating from eye across cheeks and opercles; a dusky 
spot on point of operculam; belly white; caudal fin yellowish at base, then black, with 
white tips; dorsal with bronze spots, its edge dusky. In some waters the fin-markings 
are obsolete, but usually they are very conspicuous in the young. Southern specimens 
usually have the scales of the lower part of the sides with faint dark streaks; adult 
specimens have all these marks more or less wholly obliterated, and become ultimately 
of a uniform dead-green, without silvery luster; head 34; depth 3$; D X, 13; A. III, 
10 or 11; scales 11-74-17. Length1 to2 feet. Average weight when adult 4 or 5 pounds, 
Habitat, all streams of United States from Vermont and Western New York to South 
Carolina, Arkansas, and Dakota, preferring clear or cold waters. - 
* For fall synonymy, see (Henshall) ‘‘ Book of the Black Bass.” 
