274 PERCOIDES 



Silver Perch, — Bodianus Leucos. Hav- 

 ing white and glittering scales, an arched back and 

 prominent abdomen, even tail, a wedge-shaped 

 head, good sized mouth, smooth tongue, lateral 

 line partaking of the curve of the dorsum, yellow- 

 ish fins, with seventeen rays in the caudal, twelve 

 in the dorsal, six in the ventral, and fifteen in the 

 pectoral. This httle fish varies from three to eight 

 inches in length, is found in New Hampshire, Ver- 

 mont, Maine, and, in fact, in all the rivers, brooks 

 and ponds in New England and New York. 



Red Perch, — Bodianus Rufus. This is a 

 little larger than the silver perch, and though de- 

 nominated red, is really nearly black, after it 

 has done spawning. Operculum serrated, the tail 

 slightly forked, and the jaws and swallow set with 

 fine sharp teeth. Usually, the three first rays in 

 the anal fin are stiff, — very common wherever 

 the others are found. 



White Perch, — Bodianus PaUidus. With 

 scales appearing like spots on the sides ; fins yel- 

 lowish, with the exception of the dorsal, which is 

 brown ; the tail is not forked ; the middle portion 

 of the gill cover rough and thorny ; the two dor- 

 sal fins coalesce. Six branchial rays, fourteen pec- 



