Bran and Weed — Fish Fauna of the District nf Columbia. 173 



Lepomis auritus ( Linnaeus). 



Tt is probable that there are two species confused under this name in 

 the waters of the District of Columbia and vicinity. Living specimens of 

 both may be seen in the aquarium of the Bureau of Fisheries at Wash- 

 ington, D. C. Botli are distinguished by the great length of the opercular 

 nap but otherwise are very dissimilar in color. One is a rather slender 

 fish having the body-color and color changes of Lepomis cyanellus. It is 

 very difficult to distinguish this form from Lepomis cyanellus except by the 

 character of the < ipercular flap which is long and pointed, extends obliquely 

 upward and has a straight light colored line along its upper and its lower 

 edge. These lines extend well on to the operculum. The other form is 

 much deeper bodied and has the body-color of Lepomis gibbosus.* The 

 opercular flap extends horizontally, is about as wide at its distal end as at 

 its proximal end and appears rather truncate. Two forms have previously 

 been described under the names Lepomis auritus and Lepomis auritus 

 soils. It appears rather probable that the slender form should stand as 

 a separate species under the name Lepomis soils. 



Lepomis pallidus (Mitchill). 



This species is taken in the Potomac River, in the Tidal Basin and in 

 the lower portion of the Eastern Branch. This species may be native 

 rather than introduced, as it is an inhabitant of the deeper waters where 

 ordinary scientific collecting might easily overlook it. 



Doctor Smith furnishes the following note on the occurrence of this 

 species in the Potomac River as early as 1900: 



" Extract from letter from R. Hessel, May 2, 1900. 



"In regard to the Lepomis pallidus I sent the other day to Central 

 station, I have the following to state: Four years ago, in June, 1896, I 

 went with some of the men of the station to the Potomac to get some liv- 

 ing food for the black bass. Hauling the large seine I caught about 1,600 

 young fish — sunfish, catfish, roaches— and amongst the sunfish — about 

 500 of % of an inch in length — I noticed three small sunfish of the same 

 size, but of a little different shape from the common sunfish ; they seemed 

 to be of more slender form and had a little darker coloration. I exam- 

 ined all the fish I had in the tub and found 14 in all. I tried to get some 

 more of them and made a few more hauls, but could not find any more. 



"I put the 14 young fish in a small pond to see their development. 

 Four of them died and the others developed very well. I feed them on 

 mashed fish, and last year they spawned and I have now about 2,000 on 

 hand." 



These specimens were identified by Dr. W. C. Kendall. 



Stizostedion vitreum (Mitchill). 



The Bureau of Fisheries has planted a large number of pike perch fry 

 in the Potomac (during the years 1901 to 1904) and a number of speci- 

 mens have been taken. 



♦See: Bean and Weed, Proc. Biol Soc. Wash., Vol. XXIV, p. 73. 



