12 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY III 



ETHEOSTOMATID^. 

 Genus ALVORDIUS Girard. 



1. ALVORDIUS CRASSUS, sp. nov. 



Etheosioma viacidatum var. Copk, Proc. Am. Pliilos. Soc. 1870, 261, 262, and 449. (Not 

 Uadropterus maculatus Girard.) 



A species beariHg considerable resemblaDce to A. aspro, bnt less 

 distinctly marked and more heavily built, the form being less graceful 

 thau^that of the otiier members of the genus. Body considerably com- 

 pressed, the dei)tli 4J times in length to origin of caudal (as in all cases 

 in this paper). Head comparatively short, 3| in length; the snout 

 medium, not acuminate as in A. phoxocephalus, nor especially obtuse. 

 Eye moderate, as long as snout, 4 in head. Mouth rather small for the 

 genus, nearly horizontal, the upper jaw but little the longer: upper 

 jaw not projectile : maxillary reaching anterior margin of eye. 



Cheeks naked : opercles with a few scales above : back and breast 

 naked : middle line of belly in some specimens naked : in others with 

 enlarged plates. Scales on the body rather larger than usual, about 

 7-55-7. 



Fins moderately developed: dorsal XII-I, 10, varying to XI-I, 11; 

 an increase in the number of the spines, as usual, accompanying a 

 decrease in the number of soft rays, a- rule apparently not hitherto 

 noticed, and jierhaps not of general application. The two dorsal fins 

 are well separated, the lirst being longer than the second, but consider- 

 ably lower. 



Anal fin shorter, but higher than second dorsal, II, 9; the two spines 

 well developed. Caudal fin deeply lunate, almost furcate. Pectorals 

 and ventrals large, their tips about equal. 



Coloration rather plain. General hue olivaceous ; the back marked 

 with darker, as in the other species of the genus. Sides with a series 

 of dark olive, rounded blotches, connected along the lateral line by a 

 narrow, dark band ; a dark streak forward, and one downward from the 

 eye. First dorsal with a dark spot in front, and another on its last 

 rays. Second dorsal, caudal, and pectorals barred with dark spots. 

 Anal and ventrals uncolored. 



Length of longest specimens observed, 3 inches. 



Habitat. — Saluda, Ennoree, and Eeedy Ilivers, in rapid water, espe- 

 cially abundant in the Saluda at Farr's Mills. Also recorded by Cope 

 from the Catawba. 



