black bass (blakbas)

1. A centrarchoid American fish of the genus Micropterus. The body is oblong; the dorsal fin is low, especially the spinous portion of it, which is separated from the soft part by an emargination; the anal fin is shorter than the soft part of the dorsal, with three small spines; and the caudal fin is emarginate. The color is dark, and the cheeks and opercules are cro ed by three dark oblique stripes. Two species are known, the large-mouthed black-ba , Micropterus salmo ides, extending from Canada and the great lakes southwest into Texas and southeast into Florida, and the small mouthed black-ba , Micropterus dolomieu, ranging from Small-mouthed Black-ba ( Micropterus dolomieu). the great lakes southward to South Carolina and Arkansas, Both are highly esteemed for their game qualities, but the small-mouthed is regarded by most anglers as superior. The sexes during the breeding season consort in pairs clear a sub circular spot near the shore for a nest, and guard the eggs till hatched. Both species, but especially the small-mouthed, have received the attention of pisciculturists and been introduced into foreign countries. In some parts of the State of New York the small-mouthed is specifically called the black-ba and the large-mouthed the Oswego or green ba . Other names given to one or both species are trout, in the south, and, locally, chub, jumper, mast - ba , and Welsh man. 2. A local name, along portions of the Pacific coast of the United States, of a scorpænoid fish, Sebastichthys melanops, or black rock-fish. black-beetle (blak'bē"tl), n. An English name of the common cockroach of Great Britain, Blatta ( Per i planet a ) oriental is, a large black orthopterous insect, of the family Blattida. See cut under Blattida. black belly (blak'bel i), n. A local name in Ma achusetts of a variety of the alewife, Clupea vernal is. (-iz). [ 2. In some parts of England, the black currant, Ribes nigrum.