85. PERCID.E BOLEOSOMA. 491 



the feeble opercular spine is almost hidden by them. Middle and lower 

 part of the sides of the body covered with large, imbricated, very rough 

 scales, these less closely set below; breast uaked; behind the ventrals 

 the middle line of the belly with some small scales, behind which is a 

 naked space bounded by small imbedded scales, and extending as far 

 as the vent; back from middle of lirst dorsal forward naked, posteriorly 

 more or less scaly. Fins low and small, the second dorsal larger than 

 the first or the anal; the spines slender; anal spines short; i)ectoral 

 fins long and narrow. Translucent, with small dark spots on back and 

 sides, besides finer speckliugs ; fins plain. Head 4J; depth 7. D. VII 

 to IX-11 to 13; A. II, G to 8; Lat. 1. GO. L. 2 inches. Neuse liiver, 

 North Carolina; locally abundant. 



(Pvccilichfhy>i vitreus Cope, Proc. Amcr. Philos. Soc. Pbila. 1870, 2G:?; Joidau & 

 Braytou, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. xii, 82, 1878.) 



254.— BOLEOSOMA DeKay. 

 Tessellated Darters. 



(Arlina and EslrcUa Grd.) 



(DeKay. Xew York Fauna Fish. 1842, 20: type Boleosoma tefisellatum DcKnj^Eiheos- 

 toma olmstedi Storor. ) 



Body moderately elongate, fusiform, not translucent. Head small, 

 narrowed forwards, the profile convex. Mouth small, horizontal, the 

 lower jaw included; premaxillaries protractile. Maxillary not adnate 

 to preorbital. Vomerine teeth present. Scales large. Lateral line con- 

 tinuous (rarely wanting on two or three scales). Belly with ordinary 

 scales. Gill-membranes narrowly connected^ Dorsal spines 7-10, slen- 

 der; soft dorsal mnch larger than anal; anal normally with a single, 

 short, slender spine, the first soft ray simple, but articulate. Vertebrae 

 {B. nUjriim) 17 + 20. Coloration olivaceous and speckled, the males 

 blackish in spring. Size small. (/5<>A!c, a dart; aajn-o.^ body.) 



a. Dorsal spines normally 9. 



h. Checks scaly; seeoiid dorsal with II? or 14 rays ohnsledi. 



bb. Cheeks and breast normally naked (occasionally fully scaled). 



c. Body fn.siforni, with slender caudal ]»('(huicle; tins moderate; secoud dorsal 



with 11 or 12 rays; lateral line usually not quite complete luijruin. 



cc. Body robust, compressed; fins very liijib. 



d. Second dorsal with 1:5 rays; lateral line with aboiit 40 scales vfftilijcits. 



dd. Second dorsal with 10 rays; lateral Uin: about 'Ab rcjiUare. 



aa. Dorsal spines 7 (?) wmpus. 



