The Bluegill 



small pieces of fish or mussel are good ; and they can be taken on 

 the artificial fly, or small trolling spoon. 



Most of those who fish for bluegills do so at anchor and 

 with two long cane poles projecting over either side of the 

 stern of the boat. Thj line always has a float upon it, its dis- 

 tance from the hook regulated by the depth of the water, and 

 the hook is thrown as far from the boat as possible. 



The bluegills arc usually found in 5 to 15 feet of water on 

 the edges of the bars where there are patches of Potamogeton 

 or other water plants. They usually keep in more or less definite 

 schools, and the patient angler usually lands them all. They do 

 not seize the hook with a rush as does the rock bass, but 

 quietly suck it in, and the fight does not begin until the fish 

 finds that it is hooked, but from then on the fight is of the 

 most vigorous kind, and ': kept up to the end with a persis- 

 tency and viciousness that make the bluegill "the gamest of all 

 fishes for its size." 



Colour, rich greenish olive on back, becoming paler on sides; 

 top of head dark greenish; opercles and cheek bluish; opercular 

 flap rich velvety black, a small whitish spot above near its base; 

 side with 3 or 4 broad darker greenish bars; fins all greenish, the pec- 

 toral palest, reddish at base; a large black blotch on last rays of 

 dorsal, a similar one on anal; the dark bars become obsolete in 

 the adult; no blue stripes on cheek; no red on fins; old individuals 

 often with the belly coppery red or brassy. 



GENUS EUPOMOTIS GILL & JORDAN 



This genus is closely related to Lepomis, from which it differs 

 only in the blunter and more pavement-like teeth of the lower 

 pharyngeal bones. These bones are usually broader and more 

 concave than in Lep&mis, the gillrakers are usually shorter and 

 fewer, the supplemental maxillary is reduced or wanting, and 

 the opercular flap is always provided with an orange spot on 

 its lower posterior border. The genus as now understood Con- 

 tains 6 known species. 



a. Pectoral fin short, not longer than head, not reaching past 



origin of anal. 



b. Mouth large, maxillary about reaching pupil; supplemental max- 



illary present; gillrakers hard and of moderate length. 



35 



