THE SMELT AND ITS ALLIES 



235 



The perches are a widespread family, represented in this 

 country chiefly by the common yellow perch of the East, 

 the u wall-eyed pike ' ' of the Great Lake region, and the 

 white perch of the Atlantic coast (Fig. 214). These fish 

 have an oblong, compressed body covered with small 

 scales ; they are highly rapacious, and are believed to be 



FIG. 215. Eupomatis yibbosus, the common sunfish. Two-thirds uat. size. 

 Photo, of living animal by Dr. R. W. Slmfeldt, "Bull. U. 8. Fish Com.," 



1899. 



destructive to the young of other species of fish. They 

 are esteemed as food, although fortunately not to the 

 extent of annihilation. 



The sunfishes 1 have a percoid form, but have only one 

 dorsal rln instead of two. They live in fresh water, have 



1 Fio-. 215. 



