3'4 



Percoidea, or Perch-like Fishes 



form indeed a royal series of little fishes. Only a few can be 

 noticed here, but all of them are described in detail and many 



FIG. 250. Etheostoma jordani Gilbert. Chestnut Creek, Verbena, Ala. 



are figured by Jordan and Evermann (" Fishes of North and 

 Middle America," Vol. I). 



Most beautiful of all fresh-water fishes is the blue-breasted 

 darter, Etheostoma camurum, red-blue and olive, with red spots, 



FIG. 251. Blue-breasted Darter, Etheostoma camurum (Cope).the most brilliantly 

 colored of American river fishes. Cumberland Gap, Term. 



like a trout. This species lives in clear streams of the Ohio 

 valley, a region perhaps to be regarded as the center of abun- 

 dance of these fishes. 



Very similar is the trout-spotted darter, Etheostoma macu- 

 latum, dusky and red, with round crimson spots. Etheostoma 

 rufilineatum of the French Broad is one of the most gaudy of 

 fishes. Etheostoma australe of Chihuahua ranges farthest south 

 of all the darters, and Etheostoma boreale of Quebec perhaps 

 farthest north, though Etheostoma iowa, found from Iowa to the 

 Saskatchewan, may dispute this honor. Etheostoma caruleum, 



