CBNTRABCHID^}. XCH. 241 



with rusty red spots; blue stripes on head; spines rather 

 short; body rather elongate; opercular flap very long, 

 longer than any in other species except the southern 

 Xenotis fallax, and extremely narrow. Maine to Ala- 

 bama, east of the Alleghenies, abundant; the only long- 

 eared Sun-fish occurring in New England. A large 

 handsome species, known at once by the peculiar ear-flap. 

 L. 6 to 10. (I. rubricauda, appendix, etc., of authors.) 



** No palatine teeth ; dorsal spines very high ; a more or less dis- 

 tinct black blotch on last rays of dorsal and anal. (Helioperca^ 

 Jor.) 



6. L pallidus, (Mit.) Gill & Jor. BLUE SUN FISH. 

 COPPER- NOSED BREAM. Olive green, adults dark ; young 

 more or less silvery, often uniformly so in spirits; a more 

 or less distinct purple lustre in life; sides with undulat- 

 ing, sometimes chain-like, transverse bars, most con- 

 spicuous in the young; a black spot on base of dorsal 

 and anal behind; no blue stripes on cheeks; no red 

 on fins; opercular flap moderately long and wide in 

 adults, without pale edge, very short in young; body 

 deep, compressed, caudal peduncle rather slender; head 

 3 in length; depth about 2; dorsal spines very long; 

 D. X, 11; A. Ill, 10; lat. 1. 40 to 45; L. 8. Great Lakes 

 to Delaware R. (Abbott) and S., abundant. A large and 

 very variable species, but almost always recognizable by 

 the characters above emphasized. (L. ardesiacus, L. 

 megalotis, and L. purpurascens, Cope, Ichthelis incisor, 

 Auct.) Adult specimens are often nearly orbicular and 

 have the belly coppery red. 



7. L. ischyrus, Jordan & Nelson. A large, heavily- 

 built species, similar to the preceding but with larger 

 mouth, shorter spines and different coloration; top of 

 head flat and short; opercular flap large, with a wide 



11 



