Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-10-15

species. Sometimes, however, the
markings will disappear, and the {
sides of the fish will assume a uni
form coloration. Moreover, the col
ors of the black bass frequently
change with the seasons of the year,
and there is always q marked differ
euce in the colors and markings of the
fish at different stages of its growth.
In the Young the colors are brighter
and the markings more distinct than
in the adult fish, and it is probable
that the latter become entirely obso-
lete with age. 70 80 -
Inconsistency of coloring, as the bio
grapher Of Microptcrus remarks, is
not exceptional with the black bass,
for all other genera of fresh water
and anattremous fishes exhibit this
peculiarlty in greater or less degree.
Among the causes assigned for this |
phenomenal feature, and which have
been either proven true or made ten
able by actual experiment aud care |
full observation, ares 1. Character of |
food. 2. Condition, depth and tenn
perature of water. 8. Color and |
character of beds of streams. lakes,
or ponds. 4. Atmospheric conditions.
5. Age. G.. Season of the year. z.
The changes incident to the Matching
season, while some assume (8) that
the power Of changing colors Is vol
untary with some, II not with all
fishes. r.E
d. Illustrations are given of each of
these propositions. Thus in regard
| to change of coler due to food, we
are told: = t.tgtt o. ia. lHj, ...si ID.
Near Waterville, Waukesha coun-
| ty, Wisconsin, is the extensive trout
Matching establishment of Mr.. N. +.
Dousman, where number Of fine
springs form considerable stream
after leaving the ponds and fumes,
and into which number of brook
| trout have escaped at various times,
| so that ii finally became we'll stocked
with bass, which propagate naturally
| Ill the stream. The trout, which are
reared artifcialiy, are kept in covered
plank fumes and in open ponds, and
are fed principally on chopped liver,
those in the ponds getting some ad-
dition to this fare, however,in aquatic
flies, insects, etc. The stream con-
tains a great many, crawfish, which
often do much damage to the dams
| duOi VI ouJoOOht J
marshes. Upon visiting this, estab-
lishment 1 was at once struck with
THE REMARKABLE DIFFERENCE
in the cclors of the trout in the
flumes,in the ponds and in the stream.
Those In the fumes were quite dull
in appearance; those in the pond
were bright, while those in tho stream
were the most brilliantly colored that
! 1 ever SAW, caused no doubt by their
feeding upon the crustacea with which
the stream abounded."
, Touching the influence Of age ,Ol
!. season is related the statement Of tn.
well-known European icthyologist
DIR. Erie, in regard to the salmon O.
Bohemia. He says that there are three
different ascents of the salmon dur
ing the year. The first ascent begin
i'll February or March, under the ice
and lasts till May. These salmon
! weigh from twenty-five to fift,
: pounds and are famous under tn
= name of "violet salmon" The secont
ascent begins in June, and lasts til
August. These fish have q reddtsl
flesh, and weigh from twelve to wen
!. Jy-:wo POUNDS, and are known q
!. strose salmon" The third ascent j
: from September until December
! These fish are mostly weak, weigh
Ing from three to- fifteen pounds
Their flesh is pale, and they are usu
- ally called "silver salmon"
. The illustration of the other pro
positions relative to changes of col
O oration are equally per inent aud col
a T'Wirf rvgaru W II. sovs.-r..-~--. :.
y tribution, the black bass is who'll
unknown in the old world, exceI
were recently introduced, and exist
- naturally only in America. Th
- original habitat of the species is n
mark able for it's extent, for with tt
y exception of the New England state
, and the Atlantic sea-bOard of til
!, Middle states, it comprises the who
y, of the United States east of tt
~ Rocky Mountains, Ontario aud Ea
: Mexico. So far but one species, tt
w large-mouthed bass, is known to IL
~ ~ habit Florida, but it is believed th
Va the small l-mouLhed species will ali
~ be found in some of the streams
,,- the western part of that state. Ofia
~ -, years the range of the black bass h
os been extended through the efforts
,d Ipublic-spirited individuals, and /
III
- states, so that at the present tin
I'd this noble fish may be said to have
h local habitation and name i'll eve
state of the Union. 1t has also be-
NJ successfully introduced into Englan
In this connection there are given
90 The book some valuable excerpts fro
er- the report of the late James w. M
ner, assistant United States fish col
he missioner, for 1872 8. There is
,rs minute discussion of the
'i' PLANTING OF THE BLACK BASS
to i'll the Potomac. DR.. Hensheil say
ci- s'My early impressions have alWa
as connected the name of Mr.. Habl
arc then conductor of the BaltlmC
to and Ohio railroad, with the prai
ig, worth act. At all events, it excit
,ch MY curiosity as to the black ba
lus which hau then never seen, a
ow prompted me to seek the acquaintal
&C. of that grand game fish, which l VI
sot soon afterward proceeded to do,
md the Miami river, near Cincinnati.
ma is scarcely necessary to say thai
Ugh have ever since been OH terms of
/ to closest int with him. he hav
ith entirely supplsn.ed in my Affect
Gus the love. l once bore my form
piscatorial friend-the striped b,
rk- the blue fish and the white perch
ad- the Chesapeake and Patapsco bu
or must confess to all occasional ret
or spectlve weakness and kindly yea
ack ing for the old-time friends of
.am boyish days, not excepting the din
rail- utive, but delicious 'gudgeon' of
s is Upper Patapsco and Herring Run
for ELAcK BASS ARE VERY PRoLII
heu hua the females yielding fully one-fou
,la' nuo of their weight i'll spawn. The per
yy, of spawning extends from es
on' spring to midsummer, according
lss the section of the country and t
een perature of the water and with
.ao ,.,.o regard to the species, in the south
oo W.. states occurring as early as Ma
nv ,na and in the northern states and {
MuIu M adas from the middle of May u
,o.SS the middle of July, always Garlic
.nna u.n very shallow waters, and sma
' .s,e lakes or those of great depths.
noo' W. bass leave their winter quarters
al deep waters about a mouth or
.,on .n weeks previous to the spawl
aro season, and soon after the males
oas are females pair off and prepare
d an Is, breeding. They select suitable s
u ua for their nests, usually upon a G
,ai., CIV ely or sandy bottom, or on II
.Sny 'hy lodges i'll water from eighteen in
,.e,a nGn to three feet deep in rivers and
Inv" ,,os three to six feet deep in lakes
.no" hns. ponds, and if possible, adjacen
| a fNh nf