Towanda daily review. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1879-1921, 1881-08-29
Worms in Black Bass.
To the Editor of ReUie11:-

To the Editor of Revie,1:-
Much comment having been made by the
PENNSYLVANIA papers concerning worms IN
black bass, thought | would investigate the
matter and give the public the benefit OF
what | have learned. While spend NJ my
vacation i'm Bradford county, Pennsylvania.
a few weeks ago, caught large numbers Of
bass daily. They seemed even more gamy
than i'm previous years. \ three pound fish
would require several minutes to land him ;
the fight being kept up with astonishing
vgor. After fine days catch | was as
tonish2 I'd in the evening to find that the gamy
fellows were full of worms; especially thick
or numerous along the back underneath the
dorsal fin. My brother called my attention
TO the worms and we had no appetite for the
bass for breakfast, though up to this time we
had eaton them with much relish. OF course
our ignorant friends did not grumble at our
generosity or their supply of fish after our
discovery. | never heard of any one being
sickened by eating the wormv fish, nor were
q ny Of our camping party made the worse for
their diet of worms.
1t has been said that the bass worms are
harmless. | think thew are when we'll done.
/ could not detect any sign OF the flavor of
yirmiculols food. ! examined a bass that |
caught on fly in Onondaga Lake yesterday
afternoon. After cutting the back fin off
there was found a white peary looking lump
imbedded in the meat. Upon opening it, "A
worm an elSnln OF al lncn III lcllStn appeaIeu
and commenced Il VermitOrm gyratiOn, or
tnrning round and round, to no doubt observe
the various points of compass and select a
route to more cOngenial quarters than the
frying pan; and we let him gyrate and sent
the bass after him. Our anticipated feast for
breakfast was willingly given up, and more
Wholesome, or at least less wormy, food set
before Us.
Some bISSlpOTnlOLOgiStS have given their
opinion that the pork trlchins are much after
the same order, and are cncysted and deVel-
Oppd or evOluted the same way from germs
developed or evoluted in some ineXplicabIe
spontanie,y. This explanation being clear
1 will not attempt another. Ohentmcs hum
drrd> OF cvStS with worms as lively as mag
gots-which they resemble-arc found in Il
single bass. What is strange, the fish seem
perfectly healthy and fat. ] have often won
q red what made black bass so gamy, but
now it Is clear. What fieas a.e to a dog,
worms are to Il bass.
There is an adage that "eyery man must
eat his peck of dirt" A new and truthful
adage might we'll be promulgated, VIZ: Every
lover of fruit fish or berries must eat their
peek of worms with no grumbling. Serious
v, all who wish TO see bass worms, look for
them ard YOU will find them.
Si.ce writing the above article it has oc-
Cured to me that an eXpan ton can be given
as to the origin of the worms in bass. 1t is Il
flies. Who knows but many Of the flies eat-
en- may be infested with parasytlc eggs, and
while in the intestinal canal of the fish, they
find food for n0urishment and further dCvel-
Opment, finally being absorbed with the in
EeSta, and eventually finding Judgement in the
cellular tiSaues where they become encySted;
eventually finding their way in many inStan-
ces to the frying pan and the human alimrn-
tHry canal. NJ. NJ. t., SyraCrsc, y, Y.