54 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



while the following is found in still waters like biyou^ and lakes. It.is considered 

 a very good game fish ranking all others for sport. Its habits, food, chief charac- 

 ters, distribution, relationships, all are quite well understood and form the subject 

 of numerous memoirs botli scientific and popular. It is, probably, the most widely 

 known fresh-water fish. 



Micropterus salmoides Lacepede.— Beaver cr>iek; Raccoon river at Adel and 

 Des JVIoines; Des Moines river at Des Moines. 



This form is far less common than the preceding but is often taken on the hook. 

 It is a lighter colored fish, much larger, and esteemed more highly than any other 

 of our native game fishes. The largest specimens seen came from the Des Moines. 

 It is rather more slender than Micropterus dolomeiu and is leadily distinguished 

 by the less number of rows of scales on the cheeks, this form having but ten, the 

 preceding possessing seventeen rows. 



PEKCID^. 

 (The Perches.) 



Of this family only the genus Etheostoma is represented in our area so far as 

 specimens establish the fact. Known commonly to the professional naturalist and 

 rarely seen by the sportsman or amateur, this interesting group has lately been 

 carefully studied with the result that rich avenues for investigation have been 

 opened. The forms are among the smallest that are known to us and at the same 

 time comprise many that are of surpassing beauty and grace. Among them are 

 to be found the gaudiest of our fishes. Common alike in large and small streams 

 they escape observation because they do not take the hook, being too small, and 

 their habits also render them less liable to be noticed. In muddy streams certain 

 protectively colored forms live in great numbers, while, again, in streams with 

 grassy or weedy bottoms other forms abound. Among rocks or weeds, on gravel 

 and shallow sandbars, in pond, lake, creek, river, even rill, the "johnnies'' are to be 

 found, and always found in situations seemingly conducive to personal safety. 

 About fifty species are recognized with the probability that the field is not yet 

 exhausted. Of these seven have thus far been found in our area. 



Etheostoma aspro Cope and Jordan.— Beaver creek; North river; Raccoon 

 river, at Adel; Des Moines river, at Des Moines and Ft. Dodge. 



This is one of the largest species of the genus and is found in considerable 

 abundance, locally, throughout our limit. The large black blotches on the sides 

 distinguish it from associated forms. It loves streams the bottoms of which are 

 paved with rocks. 



Etheostoma caprodes Rafinesque.— Des Moines river, at Des Moines and Esther- 

 ville. 



A single specimen only has come to light in the collections we have made at Des 

 Moines. It is the largest darter known. Our specimens are not of the maximum 

 size. 



Etheostoma flabellare Rafinesque. — Beaver creek; Raccoon river, Des Moines. 



But few specimens have been found by us. It is said to be abundant in clear 

 streams. Among other peculiarities this form has the lateral line developed about 

 halfway. 



Etheostoma jessi.T Jordan and Brayton. — Beaver creek; Squaw creek. 



This form, a southern one, is very rare in our collections, but a single specimen 

 having been found in Polk county. It is among the smaller of the darters. 



