SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. 55 



Sub-class Teleostei. Percoidje. 



dexterity. The brindle perch are a very good " panfish," their 

 flesh being firm and sweet, though not very high flavored. They 

 vary much in size, seldom weighing a pound, though instances are 

 known of those being caught which weighed three pounds. 



Distinctive Characteristics. The ground color of the sides is 

 yellow. There are from six to eight vertical dark colored bands on 

 the sides and over the back. The pectoral, ventral and anal fins 

 are yellow. — DeKay. 



Specific Description. The head is of a darker color than the 

 other parts. Jaws equal. Pupils of the eye black and the irides 

 of a bright gold color. Above and between the eyes you will find 

 it smooth. The top of it is broad and somewhat depressed, or flat- 

 tened. DeKay says that in the old fish " the rostrum becomes 

 more elongated, producing a concavity of the facial angle," or, 

 as some term it, " dish faced. ^' Back of the eye, the raised strige 

 radiating from centres make it rough to the touch. The preoper- 

 culum is scaly and notched with fine serratures along its edge, ex- 

 cept a portion of the posterior superior angle, which is bare. 



The opercle is subtriangular, of a green color in its centre, and 

 has a few scales on its upper margin, is notched or serrated beneath, 

 and has a sharp spine on its posterior angle. The length of the 

 head is not quite one-fourth the length of the body. 



The body is somewhat compressed and elongated, with a sub- 

 circular or gibbous outline. Sides of a golden color, crossed 

 by " seven transverse bands," of a dark color. These bands are 

 located in the upper part — -those of the middle broadest of all. The 

 abdomen is white. Chin or lower jaw pink or flesh-colored. The 

 lateral line is a series of tubular orifices, and runs parallel with the 

 cui've of the body from the humerus to the tail. The scales are 

 small and pectinated or ciliated on their posterior edges, giving a 

 rough feeling to the hand. 



There are two dorsal fins — the first with spinous rays, thirteen 



in number, and the second with mostly articulated or soft rays, 



also thirteen in number. These fins are of a yellowish-brown color, 



the first or anterior one tinged more with a light yellow. The 



spines strong — the first shorter than the second, and the fourth 



and fifth longest, the last much shortest. The whole height of this 



fin is about one-third of its length. The distance between the first 



and second is small, seldom more than three-tenths of an inch. 

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