12 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY III 



etiieostomatidj:. 



Genus ALVORDIUS Girard. 



1. ALVORDIUS CRASSUS, sp. nov. 



Etheoatoma vtantlatmn var. Copk. Proc. Am. Pliilos. Soc. 1870, 961, 262, and 449. (Not 

 UadropteritH vuiculatus Girard.) 



A species beaiii)g considerable resemblance to ^L ospro, but less 

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

 than that of tiie other members of the genus. Bod}' considerably com- 

 pressed, the depth 4h times in length to origin of caudal (as in all cases 

 in this paper). Dead comparatively short, 3^ in length ; the snout 

 medium, not acuminate as in A. j)1iox(ceplmlus, nor especially obtuse. 

 Eye n)oderate, as long as snout, 4 in head. .Mouth rather small for tlic. 

 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 i>lates. Scales on the body rather larger than usual, about 

 7-55-7. 



Fins moderately developed: dorsal XII-I, 10, var;sing to Xl-l, 11; 

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

 decrease in the number of soft rays, a rule ai)parently not hitheito 

 noticed, and perhaps not of general api)lication. The two dorsal (ins 

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

 ably lower. 



Anal tin shorter, but Iiiglicr than second dorsal, II, 0; the two sjiines 

 ucll developed. Caudal lin deeply lunate, almost furcate. Pectorals 

 and ventrals large, their tii)s about equal. 



Coloration rather ])lain. General hue olivaceous ; the l>ack marked 

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

 of dark olive, rounded blotches, coniu'ctiMl along the lat( ral 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. 



J.ength of longest speciniens observed, ,3 inches. 



Jlttbitat. — Saluda, Ennoree, and Iicetly Kivers, in rapid water, espe- 

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

 from tile Catawba. 



