PERCID^. — xc. 229 



western States, Northern Ohio to Minnesota; abundant; 

 a most brilliant species. 



17. MICROPERCA, Putnam. Least Darters. 



1. M. punctulata, Putnam. Least Darter. Greenish 

 olive, sides with irreo-ular dark bars and zicrzas^ markings: 

 dusky lines along the rows of scales; a dark shoulder 

 blotch; a black streak forward from eye and a vertical 

 bar below it; D. VI to VII— 9 to 12; A. II, 5 or G; 

 length 1:^ inches. Western States. 



FAMILY XC— PEPCIDS. ' 



{The Perches.) 

 Body oblong, more or less compressed, covered with 

 rather small, strongly ctenoid scales; opercular bones 

 mostly serrated; teeth in villiform bands on jaws, vomer 

 and palatines; mouth slightly oblique; dorsals two, dis- 

 tinct, both well developed; ventrals thoracic I, 5; anal 

 with one or two spines; branchiostegals seven; air bladder 

 present, moderately developed; intestinal canal with a 

 few pyloric coeca. Carnivorous fishes of moderate or 

 rather large size, chiefly of the rivers of the Northern 

 Hemisphere. As here restricted, a small family of about 

 five genera and fifteen species. 



* No canine teeth among the villiform ones ; body compressed. 



Perca, 1. 



** With strong canine teeth ; body elongated. Sttzostethium, 2. 



/. PERCA, Linnaeus. Perches. 



1. P. americana, ^chrftnck. Commox Yellow Perch. 

 Olivaceous, sides yellowish, with broad dark bars; head 

 3|- in length; depth about the same; D. XIII — 14; A. 

 II, 7; lat. 1. 63. Fresh waters E. U. S., chiefly north- 

 ward and eastward. [P. Jlavescetis (Mit.) Cuv.] 



