64 DESCRIPTIONS OF ETHEOSTOMOIDS. 



oblique, rather large, the lower jaw slightly iucluded; maxillary reach- 

 ing vertical from pupil, rather more than ^ length of head. Eye large, 

 3J in head, much longer than the snout or the narrow interorbital 

 space. Gill membranes moderately joined across the isthmus, uniting 

 in an acute angle. Opercular spine well developed. Premaxillaries 

 non-protractile. 



Fins small ; the spinous and soft dorsals well separated ; the anal tcith 

 a single rather strong spine in all specimens seen. Length of pectorals 

 equaling length of head behind front of eye. Longest dorsal spine 

 equaling length of snout and eye. 



Scales large, covering sides and ventral region uniformly ; nape, 

 breast, and cheeks naked, opercles scaled. Pores of lateral line present 

 on one or two scales next the head, only. 



Head, 3f in length ; depth, 5. D. VI-10 : A. I, 7. Lat. 1. 34. Length 

 about 1 inch. 



Color in life : Olivaceous, the scales on sides broadly margined be- 

 hind with dusky. Dorsal region dusted with fine dark specks, and with 

 about S indistinct dusky cross-blotches. A series of horizontal stitch- 

 like dark lines along middle of sides, forming an interrupted lateral 

 streak. Three small dark spots at base of tail. A dark spot on opercle. 

 A dark bar before, one below, and one behind eye. Soft parts of ver- 

 tical tins with light and dark bars. Lower half of spinous dorsal jet- 

 black; above this a broad red band, the fin narrowly edged above with 

 black. 



Taken in small numbers in the San Marcos River, near San Marcos, 

 Tex. It resembles in most details Etheostoma prwliare and microperca,* 

 but diflers in the constant presence of but one anal spine, in the 

 bright coloration of the spinous dorsal, and in the somewhat larger 

 mouth ; from prceliare it differs also in having naked cheeks. It does 

 not seem very improbable that these three species may eventually be 

 reduced to one. But few specimens have been examined, and nothing 

 is known concerning their variability. Of the two specimens of praliare 

 thus far known, one has twp anal spines, and the other but one. 



Alvarius lateralis Grd. is a closely related species and may even be 

 identical with the above. It is said, however, to have the lower jaw 

 longer than the upper, and the cheeks and opercles scaly ; no anal 

 spine was observed, and nothing said with regard to length of lateral 

 line. In our ignorance concerning these points we have not thought 

 it best to make the identification. 



UNIVEESITY of ClXCI]NNATI, 



Decemher 9, 1886. 



'Etheostoma microperca Jordan & Gilbert = ii"iej'0^;erco pwnctulata Putnam. The 

 name punctulatum is preoccupied iu Etheostoma. 



