THE SUNFISHES 



name being from two Greek words, " scale " and 

 " operculum," in allusion to the rows of scales on 

 the gill-covers, and the specific, from the Latin, 

 auritus, " eared," in reference to the opercular flap, 

 which is exceptionally long. The coloration above 

 is olive, and the belly is largely red and orange, the 

 scales on the sides having reddish spots on a bluish 

 background. The head has upon it several bluish 

 stripes, which show most prominently in front of 

 the eye of the fish. It seldom exceeds a length of 

 eight inches, but gives excellent play on the hook. 

 The two remaining indigenous species are found 

 in the Great Lake region, from thence south to 

 Florida and the Rio Grande. One, the blue-spotted 

 sunfish, also called green sunfish and little red-eye, 

 grows to about seven inches, and is noted for the 

 brassy lustre on its green sides, merging into yellow 

 on the belly, the red spot in its eye, the faint blue 

 spot with gold edging on each scale, and the blue 

 and green on the vertical fins. 



The blue-gill sunfish, called in many western 

 localities, blue bream, blue sunfish, copper-nosed 

 bream, and dollarder, is the final species to be 

 referred to as native to the waters of Eastern 

 Canada. It is one of the least ornate in color 

 among sunfishes, as the adult fish is of dark olive 

 coloration above, and very old specimens are dull 

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