ETHEOSTOMA 307 



and anal almost plain white. Females and males in late-summer color 

 much lighter, fall specimens often suggesting Boleosoma nigrum. The 

 large size and peculiar shade of the rusty-brown to rusty-red blotches 

 will usually serve for the recognition of this species. Head i .1 to 4, less 

 pointed than E. jessice, the muzzle rather blunt, scarcely decurved; width 

 of head 1.8 to 2.1 in its length ; interorbital space not much wider than 

 half of eye, 6 to 8 in head; eye nearty round, 3 .3 to 4.4 in head; mouth 

 rather small, nearly horizontal, subterminal, maxillary reaching to front 

 of orbit; cleft 3 .6 to 4; lower jaw included; gill-membranes scarcely con- 

 nected, distance from muzzle to angle usually less than 1 . 1 times that 

 to back of orbit. Dorsal fin VIII-XI, 9 or 11 ; spinous and soft portions 

 separated by a space somewhat greater than diameter of eye; height of 

 first dorsal 2 . 1 to 2 . 7 in head, second 1 . 8 to 2 (height of first 68 to 94 

 per cent, of second) ; caudal truncate or very faintly lunate; anal II (occa- 

 sionallv I), 6 to 8 (usually 7) ; pectorals 1 . 2 to 1 .4 in head; separation of 

 ventrals always less than half, sometimes only J, their width at base. 

 Scales 5 or 6 (occasionally 7), 55-60, 7-9 [10 -i2], lateral line somewhat 

 flexed upward anteriorly*, as in E. jessicB; about 25 pores usually lack- 

 ing; cheeks, opercles, and nape fully scaled; breast naked; belly covered 

 with ordinary- scales. 



A rare species in Illinois, taken by us from eight localities, all in 

 northern Illinois except one from Johnson county. The following 

 are the recorded places: Pistakee Lake, in McHenry county; Wolf 

 Lake, South Chicago ; Senachwine Lake, Henry county ; Rock River 

 at Milan, Rock Island county; Green River, near Geneseo, in Henry 

 county; Pecunsagan creek, near Utica, La Salle county; Illinois 

 River, at Ottawa; and Dutchman's creek, near Vienna, Johnson 

 county. 



Its known general range is northward at least as far as Qu'Ap- 

 pelle River in Assiniboia, w^estward to Valentine, Neb., and south- 

 ward to Arkansas. 



ETHEOSTOMA JESSI^E (Jordan & Brayton) 



Jordan & Brayton, 1877, Jordan's Man. Vert., 227 (Pcecilichthys). 

 J. & G., 518 (Pcecilichthys); M. V., 133; B., I, 72; J. & E., I, 1084; Forbes, in J., 

 41 (Pcecilichthys asprigenis) ; F., 64 (asprigene) ; L., 29. 



Length ordinarily a little less than two inches, though specimens 

 are occasionally found 2\ inches; depth 4.8 to 5.4 in length; body as a 

 rule considerably compressed, its greatest width about |- of its greatest 

 depth; dorsal and ventral outlines usually about equally arched, giving 

 the fish a symmetrical, bass-like form, which appearance is aided by 



*In E. jessicE and iowcs the lateral line is nearly parallel with the line of the back. 

 The difference between these species and Boleichthys fusiformis in this feature 

 seems to be in the closeness of lateral line to the back at its highest point rather 

 than in the matter of parallelism. 



