14 POMOTIS INCISOR. 



pectoral is broad ; it begins near the angle of the opercle, extends to the root of 

 the anal fin, and has thirteen rays. The ventral is broad ; it begins about the 

 anterior fourth of the pectoral fin and reaches beyond the origin of the anal, and 

 has one spine and five branched rays, the anterior of which is prolonged in a fila- 

 ment. The anal is broad, elevated, ends behind the dorsal, and has three spines, 

 the anterior small, the others large and long, with eleven branched rays. The 

 caudal is broad, slightly forked, and has seventeen rays. 



The lateral line begins Avith the appendix of the opercle, and runs parallel with 

 the dorsal outline to the end of the root of the dorsal fin, when it descends to the 

 median plane ; its scale is unguiform, with the duct in the middle. 



Colour. See Specific Characters. Yet it varies much in difi"erent waters. 



Dimensions. The head is one fourth the length of the animal ; elevation, one 

 head and a half; entire length, seven and a half inches. 



Splanchnology. The peritoneum is silvery. The liver is large and consists of two lobes, though the 

 separation is slightly marked in front ; the left lobe is much the larger; the right is short, and gives 

 off a small lobule at its right and anterior extremity. The stomach is large, curved, with thick 

 walls ; there are eight coecal appendages, large and long ; the small intestine is very capacious, and 

 makes several convolutions before it ends in the rectum, which is smaller, though its walls are 

 thicker ; it has well-developed longitudinal folds, but no rectal valve. The air-bladder is very 

 large, and extends throughout the abdomen, and subdivides behind into two horns, which are con- 

 tinued some distance behind the vent ; at its posterior and superior part is a well-marked vascular 

 ganglion. The kidney is bulky and well developed behind, and the urinary bladder is large. 



Geographical Distribution. This fish is common in the rivers and ponds of 

 fresh water in the lower part of South Carolina, and extends even to Louisiana. 



Habits. They live in company with the Pomofis vulgaris, feed on the same 

 food, and are taken with the same bait, though they do not seem to have the cu- 

 rious habit of the former, of constructing a nest for their spawn. 



General Remarks. This animal bears some resemblance in form to the Pomo- 

 tis appendix ; but that is a smaller animal, of a diff'erent colour, wanting the 

 black spot in the dorsal fin, and inhabiting a difierent geographical region. 



