85. PEKCID.E PCECILICHTHYS. 517 



XI-13; A. II, 7; scales 8-5G-11. L. 2f inches. Tombigbee Elver, 

 Mississippi. (Hay.} 

 (Hay, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 494.) 



~bl). Humeral scale obsolete. 



d. Opercles and clieeks naked; preopercle crenulate; anal spines very long. 



10. *P. lepsdus (B. & G.) Grd. 



Body rather stout, compressed, tapering backwards. Head sub- 

 conical. Mouth moderate, with equal jaws; maxillary reaching front 

 of orbit. Eyes large. First dorsal rather low; dorsal fins somewhat 

 connected. Head, as well as throat and neck, entirely scaleless. Color 

 olivaceous, with some dark (blue?) bars; scales dusky at base; dorsals 

 and caudal mottled or barred. Head 4 ; depth 4. D. IX-11 ; A. II, 

 6; scales in about 50 series. L. 2i inches. Texas. 



(Bolcosoma lepida B. & G. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 388, 1853; Girard, U. S. Mex. 

 Bound. Surv. Ichth. 1859, 11: OHyoccphalus lepidus Grd. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil a. 

 1859, 67: Bvleosoma lepidum Giinther, i, 77.) 



dd. Opercles scaly; preopercle strictly entire; anal spines moderate. 



e. Lateral line nearly straight. 



/. Cheeks naked, or with only 3 or 4 small imbedded scales close behind eye. 



11. P. cosmBeus (Stoi'er) Agassiz. Blue Darter; Rainbow Darter; Soldier-fiuh. 



Body robust, rather deep and compressed, the back somewhat ele- 

 vated. Head large, compressed. Mouth moderate, terminal, oblique, 

 the lower jaw somewhat included, the maxillary reaching front of orbit. 

 Palatine teeth in one row. Neck and breast usually naked. Fins all 

 large; dorsal fins usually slightly connected. Males olivaceous, tessel- 

 lated above, the spots running together into blotches; back without 

 black lengthwise stripes; sides with about 12 indigo-blue bars running 

 obliquely downwards and backwards, most distinct behind, separated 

 by bright orange interspaces; caudal fin deep orange, edged with bright 

 blue; anal fin orange, with deep blue in front and behind; soft dorsal 

 chiefly orange, blue at base and tip; spinons dorsal crimson at base, 

 then orange, with blue edgings; veutrals deep indigo; cheeks blue; 

 throat and breast orange; females much duller, with little blue or red, 

 the vertical fins barred or checked ; young variously marked. Head 

 3f ; depth 4. D. X-12; A. II, 7; scales 5-45-8, the lateral line devel- 

 oped on about 30-35 scales. L. 2J inches. Mississippi Valley; very 



* Four more nominal species of this type are described by Girard (Proc. Acad. Nat. 

 Sci. Phila. 1859, 102) under the names Aplesion potsii, Oligocephahis yrahami, O. leon en- 

 sis, and O. 2)ulcliclhis; the first from Chihuahua, the next two from Texas, the latter 

 from Canadian River. A. JJO/SH has D. X-I, 11; O. graliami has D. IX-13; A. II, 8; 

 O. Iconensia D. IX-10; A. II, 7; 0. pulcluilus A. II, G. All are probably identical with 

 P. lepidus. 



