CENTKABCHID^E. XCII. 245 



10. MESOGONISTIUS, Gill. BLACK- BANDED SUN FISHES. 

 1. M. chcatodon, (Baird) Gill. BLACK -BANDED SUN 

 FISH. Suborbicular; depth about half length; spines 

 long, longest equal to distance from snout to preopercle ; 

 eyes large, three in head; dirty straw color, clouded with 

 olive; sides with four to six well-defined black vertical 

 bars running up on the fins; first through eye, last at 

 base of tail; D. X, 11; A. Ill, 12; lat. 1. 28; L. 3. New 

 Jersey to Maryland, in sluggish waters; a small, hand- 

 some species, known at once by its peculiar coloration. 



//. HEMIOPLITES, Cope. FOUR - SPINED SUN FISHES. 

 1. H. simulans, Cope. FOUR -SPINED SUN FISH. Head 

 2f in length, depth 2^-; eye 3 in head; bright olive, with 

 dusky stripes; sides and cheeks with purple reflections; 

 D. VIII, 11; A. IV, 10; lat. 1. 30. James R., Va. Re- 

 sembles E. obesus. 



12. ENNEACANTHUS,Gi\\. NINE -SPINED SUN FISHES. 



* Dorsal and anal moderately elevated in $. 



1. E. obesus, (Baird) Gill. SPOTTED SUN FISH. 

 Depth about half length; dark, olive green, with eight 

 strong black cross bars and purplish spots; lateral line 

 usually incomplete; cheeks with lines and spots; oper- 

 cular flap velvet black, bordered with purple; a dark 

 bar below eye; D. IX, 10; A. Ill, 10; L. 3. Streams 

 coastwise from Mass., southward; a handsome little fish. 



2. E. margarotis, Gill & Jordan. BLUE-SPOTTED SUN 

 FISH. Body without definite blackish cross-bars, in 

 males covered with round bright sky-blue spots; a pearly- 

 blue spot on opercle; body more elongate than in the 

 others; lateral line complete; D. IX, 10; A. Ill, 9; lat. 

 1. 30. New Jersey to N. C. abundant. 



