THE FOOD AND GAME FISHES OF NEW YORK. 389 



Mexico. It does not occur in the Middle Atlantic States east of the Alleghanies. 

 Dr. Meek did not find this fish near Ithaca. A few specimens were taken near 

 Montezuma, N. Y. None of the collectors of the U. S. Fish Commission obtained 

 it in the Lake Ontario region. 



In spirits the color is pale brown, the fins paler. The opercular flap has a dark 

 spot as described above. In life there is generally a black blotch on the hinder part 

 of the dorsal and anal ; the ground color is greenish with a brassy tinge on the sides-, 

 the lower parts yellowish ; blue spots and gilt borders usually ornament the scales, 

 and faint dark bands are often present. The dorsal, anal and caudal have blue or 

 green markings, and the anal is margined in front with orange. The iris is red and 

 the cheeks are striped with blue. 



The species Breaches a length of 7 inches, and is an extremely variable one. Prof. 

 Cope refers to it as a good pan fish and states that it is abundant in the Ohio basin. 

 In the Ohio Valley it is one of the characteristic fishes, inhabiting ponds and ascend- 

 ing small streams. It frequents deep holes and the shelter of overhanging roots. 



102. Long-eared Sunfish (Lcpomis auritus Linnaeus). 



Labrus appendix MITCHILL, Am. Month. Mag., II, 247, February, 1818. 



Pomotis appendix DEK.AY, N. Y. Fauna, Fishes, 32, 1842, from MITCHILL; STORER, Hist. 

 Fish. Mass., 14, pi. Ill, fig. 4, 1867. 



Lepomis auritus JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. 16, U. S. Nat. Mus., 477, 1883; BEAN, Fishes 

 Penna., 113, pi. 31, fig. 63, 1893; JORDAN & EVERMANN, Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. Mus., 

 1001, 1896, pi. CLXIX, figs. 425, 425^, 1900; MEARNS, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., 

 X, 319, 1898; EUGENE SMITH, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. Y. 1897, 34, 1898. 



The Long-eared Sunfish has a very extensive range and is known under many 

 common names, among which are the following : Bream, Red-tailed Bream, Redhead 

 Bream, Red-bellied Bream, Perch, Sun Perch, Red bellied Perch and Redbreast. 



The species is common in streams east of the Alleghanies from Maine to Florida, 

 and in tributaries of the Gulf of Mexico to Louisiana. In the Southern States the 

 typical Long-eared Sunfish is replaced by a variety with larger scales on the cheeks 

 and belly and a dusky blotch on the posterior part of the soft dorsal fin. 



Mearns found this Sunfish abundant in the Hudson and in Poplopen's Creek, a 

 tributary of the Hudson ; he took it also in Highland Lake. Eugene Smith reported 

 it to be very common in the upper Passaic River, in the Great Swamp and in the 

 Bronx River. 



In spirits the color is pale brown; the fins somewhat paler; the ear flap black; a 

 brownish streak in front of the eye and another horizontal one beneath it. In life 



