Description

Silvery, tinged with golden below; sides with blackish or dusky longitudinal lines, 4 or 5 above the lateral line, 1 through which the lateral line runs, and a variable number of more or less distinct ones below it, the latter sometimes "more or less interrupted or transposed so as to appear like ancient church music; " dorsal outline much curved, second anal spine 1-2 length of head; axis of body rather below the middle of its depth; head conical, slightly depressed at the nape; mouth small, nearly horizontal; maxillary reaching middle of pupil; head about 3 1-3 in. length; depth about 2 1-2; eye large, its diameter equal to the length of the snout;

D. IX-I, 14; A. Ill, 12; scales, 7-55-13. Length, 10 to 15 inches.

A gentle, quiet, handsome fish, common enough, yet never very abundant; fairly well known yet unobtrusive, never taking a prominent part in anything. Such is the White Bass. It is found throughout the region west of Lake Cham-plain, north of Tennessee and east of Dakota. A few White Bass may be found in any pile of Black Bass or Sunfish from the lakes, as they lie in the market stalls. Yet no one ever saw a catch of White Bass, and no one ever went fishing especially for them.

It is a food-fish of good flavor, similar to the Black Bass, and not inferior. It lives in deep or still waters, both in rivers or lakes, but it seldom ascends small streams, and dislikes waters which are muddy or weedy. It is said to do well in ponds. It may be caught in the same ways as the Black Bass, though it is certainly less voracious and less gamy.