RYPTICUS MACULATUS. 39 



marked. The small intestine runs nearly to the vent ; it is then reflected to the pylorus, whence it 

 returns to end in the rectum without a valve. There are eight long, slender, delicate ccEcal ap- 

 pendages. The spleen is small, flattened, very dark, and is placed mostly on the left side. The 

 air-bladder is very extensive, with thin walls ; it is rounded in front, but behind it bifurcates into 

 two horns, which are prolonged for some distance on each side of the origin of the anal fin. The 

 ovaries are large, conical, and rather flattened. The urinary bladder is large. 



Habits. The Goggle-eye inhabits ponds and streams of running water, though 

 perhaps it prefers the former ; it feeds on various insects. 



Geographical Distribution. The Pomoxis hexacanthus has a wide geographi- 

 cal range. Sir John Richardson found it in Lake Huron, Lesueur in the Wabash 

 Kiver, Bosc in Carolina, and Professor Agassiz has received it from Lake Erie. 



General Remarks. Cuvier and Valenciennes gave the first description of this 

 animal, and, supposing it to be identical with the Lahrus sparokles of Lacepede, 

 which is a Carolina fish, they continued his specific name. But subsequent exam- 

 inations convinced them of their error, and then they applied to it the specific 

 name hexacanthus. 



GENUS RYPTICUS. — Ciaw. 



Characters. Opercle and pre-opercle furnished with spines, but neither is ser- 

 rated ; teeth small, villiform ; scales minute, and imbedded in the epidermis ; dor- 

 sal fin with never more than four spines ; branchial rays seven. 



RYPTICUS MACULATUS. — ITo/JrooA-. 



Plate VI. Fig. 2. 



Specific Characters. Dorsal fin with two spines ; head and body above olive- 

 brown, with whitish spots scattered above the median plane ; lower jaw and belly 

 pale drab-colour. D. 2-25. P. 15. V. 1-5. A. 15. C. 16. 



