ELASSOMID.E. — XCII. 247 



15. POMOXYS^ Rafinesque. Grass Bass. 



* Dorsal spines normally 7; body much elevated; depth half 

 length. {Ilyperistius, Gill.) 



1. P. nigromaculatus, (LeS.) Grd. Grass Bass. Calico 

 Bass. Depth 2 in length; head nearly 3; snout pro- 

 jecting, forming an angle with the descending profile; 

 mouth large, very oblique, ])ut smaller than in the next; 

 fins very large; anal larger than dorsal; bright olive 

 green and silvery; sides and fins much mottled; the 

 anal fin nearly as much variegated as the dorsal; D. VII, 

 15; A. VI, 18; lat. 1.41; L. 8. Great Lakes to Delaware 

 R. {Abbott) and S. W.; a handsome fish. [P. hexacanthus., 

 (C. & V.) Ag.] 



** Dorsal spines normally 6; body less elevated; depth about 

 one-third length. {Pomoxys.) 



2. P. annularis, Raf. Bachelor (Ohio R.) New 

 Light (Ky.) Crappie (St. Louis). Depth two-fifths to 

 one-third length, scarcely greater than length of head; 

 olivaceous, silvery below; sides with irregular clusters of 

 dark spots; the lower part of the sides, and the anal fin 

 usually plain; D. VII, (V to VII) 15; A. VI, 17; lat. 1. 

 43 (39 to 48), L. 10. Mississippi Valley, a food fish of 

 some value; abundant and exceedingly variable. {P. 

 storerius, nitidus, inter tnedius^ protacanthus and brevi- 

 cauda of authors.) 



FAMILY XCII. (^.)-ELASSOMID^. 



{The Elassomes.) 

 A provisional group framed for the reception of a 

 single species whose affinities are at present uncertain. 

 It includes small fishes similar in appearance to Centrar- 

 chidm^ but without lateral line, and the fins little devel- 

 oped; the scales cycloid, the up]:>er jaw extremely 

 protractile and both jaws armed with strong- teeth; no 



