118 TELEOSTEI; ACANTIIOPTERI. — XX. 



f. Scales larRc, 5-34-11; oporcular spot wholly surrounded by a very 

 broad red i)iarj;in. 



312. L. bumilis ((lirard). Rody ohlonjj; spinos hif^h , chcoks 

 with 5 rows of scali-s. Olivo, with grt-i-nish sju'cks, posteriorlv ; 

 sidt's witli round oran<:;c spots ; belly and lower fins red. Head 2f ; 

 deptli 2}. L. 2^. Ky. to Neb. and Texas ; very abundant S. W. 

 (Lat., luinible.) 



ff. Scales rather small, 42 to 50 in the lateral line 



g. Opercular (lap in the adult, very broad, without pale edge; D. and 

 A. in adult with a large black spot on the last ravs. 



?t\?>. L. pallidu3 (Mitchill). Blue Sun-fisii. Copper-noskd 

 RuKAM. ])ih,i.ai:i>j;k. Rody deep, compressed, the younj; slen- 

 der, the adult yery deep ; tail slender ; head small ; mouth quite 

 small, the maxillary barely to eye; pill-rakers slender, alx)ut 10; 

 D. spines higher than in related speeies. Olive jrreen ; younp pur- 

 plish silvery, Avith greenish cross-bars; no blue stripes on cheek; no 

 red on fins ; old specimens often dusky, with the belly copperv red. 

 Head 3 ; depth 2. Lat. 1. 44. L. 10. Great Lakes to N. Y., Kans., 

 Fla. and Mexico; very abundant. Very variable, but usually known 

 by the black dorsal spot, which it shares with L. cyanellus. (Lat., 

 pale.) 



gg. Opercular flap in the adult, verv long and narrow, not wider than 

 eye, its lower margin pale; dorsal and anal usually without dark 

 spot. 



.T14. L. auritus (Linnaeus). Loxg-eared Sux-fish. Body 

 rather elonj^ate; mouth moderate, the maxillary past front of eye; 

 gill rakers (juite short, but stiff and rou^jh ; scales on cheek in 7 

 rows. D. spines low. Olive, belly and lower fins lar<;elv red ; 

 scales on sides with bluish spots; bluish stripes on head, especially 

 before eye. Head without flap, 3; depth 2\. Lat. 1.4 7. L. 8. 

 Me. to La., only E. of the mountains ; very abundant ; usually 

 known at sight by the long, narrow ear-flap. S. replai-ed by var. 

 solis Cuv. & Val., with larger scales on cheek and belly, the former 

 in 5 or 6 rows. (Lat., long<'ared.) 



dd. Gill rakers verj* short, weak and flexible; no palatine teeth ; opercu- 

 lar flap in adult extremely long, with or without pale margin, 

 variously shorter in j-oung; head with blue streaks. (Xtnotis 

 Jordan.) 



315. L. megalotis (Rafinescpie). Body sliort and deep, the 

 profile steep ; inoutli small, the maxillary to middle of eye; scales 

 on clieek in I) rows. Brilliant blue and orange, the former color 

 predomiiiiiting Ih'Idw, the blue in wavy streaks, the oninge in spots; 

 head with conspicuous blue strij)es; fins mostly with membranes 

 orange, the rays blue; V. dusky; no bhuk spot on D. or A. Head 

 without (lap, 3; (h-pth Ij to 2^. Scales 5-3.S-14. L. 6. Mich. 

 to DakjOta, S. to S. C. and Mexico; very abundant, especially in 



