FISHES 129 



1. Roccus Mitchill. Body deep and compressed; lower jaw pro- 

 jecting; two separate dorsal tins present; teeth on the base of the tongue: 

 I species. 



R. saxalilis (Walbaum). Striped bass. Length up to 1,500 mm.; 

 weight up to 90 lbs.; head 3.25 to 3.5; depth 3.5; color olivaceous, 

 silvery, with 7 to 8 narrow longitudinal stripes on the middle and upper 

 portions of the body; 2 patches of teeth at the base of the tongue; 

 rays of dorsal fins IX-I, 12; anal III, 11; scales 8-67-1 1: Atlantic 

 Ocean from New Brunswick to Louisiana, entering the rivers in this 

 spring to spawn; occasionally in Lake Ontario; introduced into Cali- 

 fornia; abundant. 



2. Lepibema Rafinesque. Similar to Roccus, but with but one 

 patch of teeth at the base of the tongue: i species. 



L. chrysops (Rafinesque). White bass. Length 375 mm.; head 3.5 ; 

 depth 2.5; back with a high arch; color silvery, with about 6 narrow 

 dark longitudinal stripes on the upper and middle portions of the body; 

 I patch of teeth at the base of the tongue; rays of dorsal fins IX-I, 

 14; anal III, 11 or 12; scales 10-55 to 65-15: Great Lakes region to 

 Manitoba; southward in Mississippi Valley to Arkansas; in deeper 

 waters; abundant. 



3. Chrysoperca Fowler. Similar to Roccus; base of tongue tooth- 

 less; the spinous and the soft dorsal fins joined, but slightly: i species. 



C. interrupta Gill. Yellow bass. Length 300 mm.; head 3; depth 

 2.6; color brassy yellow, with 7 distinct black longitudinal lines, those 

 below the lateral line interrupted posteriorly; rays of dorsal fins IX-I, 

 12; anal III, 9 or 10; scales 7-50 to 54-11: lower Mississippi Valley, 

 northward to the Ohio River and to central Indiana and Illinois; 

 westward to the Kansas River; common towards the south in large 

 rivers and lakes. 



4. Morone Mitchill. Similar to Chrysoperca; dorsal fins well 

 connected; longitudinal stripes faint: i species. 



M. americana (GmeHn). White perch. Length 250 mm.; head 3; 

 depth 3; color dark olivaceous; sides silvery, usually with faint paler 

 streaks; rays of dorsal fins IX-I, 12; anal III, 8 or 9; scales 8-50 to 

 55-12: Atlantic Ocean; abundant in brackish pools and in river mouths, 

 also often in fresh water ponds, from Nova Scotia to Florida. 



Family 7. Sciaenidae. — The drums. Body compressed, more or 

 less elongate; back elevated; scales ctenoid; lateral line continuous 

 and extending on to the tail fin; premaxillaries protractile; dorsal fin 

 single, deeply notched or separated into two fins; air bladder large and 

 often complex, enabling the fish to make drumming sounds; no teeth 



