FISHES OF NEW YORK 479 



long as the second, which is as long as the eye; the fourth 

 (longest) is one and one half times as long as the eye; after the 

 fourth the spines slightly decrease in length, the last being 

 little longer than the eye; the fifth (longest) soft ray is as long 

 as the base of the soft dorsal and equal to the snout and eye 

 combined; the last soft ray is a little more than one half as 

 long as the longest. The anal begins under the 21st scale 

 of the lateral line; the length of its base equals that of 

 the soft dorsal; the spines are short and stout, the first two 

 thirds as long as the second and one half as long as the third, 

 which is one and one half times as long as the eye; the fourth 

 (longest) soft ray is as long as the base of the fin; the last ray 

 is two thirds of this length. The caudal is emarginate, the 

 middle rays two thirds as long as the outer. The ventral 

 reaches beyond the vent, sometimes to the origin of the anal. 

 The ventral spine is one half as long as the fin. The pectoral 

 has a broad base and extends to below the 19th scale of the 

 lateral line. D. X, 10; A. Ill, 9; V. I, 5; P. 14. Scales 7-43-13. 

 The lateral line follows the curve of the back. 



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 the color is 

 olivaceous; the belly, specially in breeding males, orange. The 

 scales on the sides have reddish spots on a bluish ground. 

 Dorsal, anal and caudal usually yellowish. The stripes on the 

 head are bluish. 



The specimen described, no. 33152, U. S. National Museum, 

 from Bainbridge Pa. is 5^ inches long. 



The long-eared sunfish has a very extensive range and is 

 known under many common names, among which are the fol- 

 lowing: 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 



