SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE OP FISHES. 



229 



Diagnosis. — Body less compressed than in zonatum, the depth contained 3.5 times in 

 total length; head 3.1 times in length; mouth very small, upper jaw reaching only to anterior 

 margin of eye, lower jaw shghtly projecting; eye large, its diameter greater than snout and 

 .33 head; scales in lengthwise series about 30, in transverse series 13; cheeks and opercles scaly; 

 dorsal rays iii,8 to iv,9; anal rays iii,5 to iii,7; caudal rounded. Color: variable, usually dark 

 brown, with darker spots; some of the body scales blue; vertical bands on sides either faint 

 or absent; no black spot on shoulder; dorsal and anal fins with several rows of dark (red) 

 spots; caudal usually with vertical rows of dark spots and 2 red spots at base. Length, to 1.3 

 inches, {evergladei, of the Everglades.) 



Fig. 98. Pygmy Sun-pish. Elassoma evergladei. 



Heretofore known from swampy regions in Georgia and Florida. In Jan- 

 uary, 1906, the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries received from Mr, W.P. Seal a specimen 

 taken by him in a large cypress swamp near Wilmington, N. C. He reports the 

 species as not rare in that locality and found in the same situations as the mud 

 minnow (Umbra) and various cyprinodonts (Gambusia, Heterandria, etc.). 



Genus POMOXIS Rafinesque. Grapples. 

 A strongly marked genus of rather large sun-fishes, distinguished by a com- 

 pressed and deep body; large, oblique mouth; projecting, upturned snout; broad 

 maxillary with large supplemental bone; projecting lower faw; long and slender 

 gill-rakers; finely toothed preopercle and preorbital; large scales, with complete 

 lateral line; well developed dorsal and anal fins, the anal larger; ventral fins close 

 together, with a strong spine. Two species, very similar but quite distinct; only 

 one definitely detected in North Carolina, although the other may be looked 

 for and will eventually be introduced. The two are distinguished as follows: 



i. Dorsal spines 7 or 8; depth .5 length; 6 rows of scaled on cheeks; dark markings not form- 

 ing vertical bars on sides sparoides. 



a. Dorsal spines 5 or 6; depth .42 to .45 length; 4 or 5 rows of scales on cheeks; dark markings 

 forming vertical bars on sides annularis.* 



(Pomoxis, sharp opercle.) 



*Pomoxis annularis Rafinesque. Crappie. In 1865, under the name Pomoxis protacanthus. Dr. Gill 

 described a fish supposed to be from Tarboro, on Tar River, N. C. This species is now referred to the synonymy 

 of P. annularis, the crappie, as an examination of the types in the National Museum indicates that it is undoubt- 

 edly that species. As there is considerable doubt, however, as to the locality in which the specimen was really 

 collected, and as P. annularis is not known from North Carolina (although it may be looked for in the French 

 Broad), it is thought best to disregard these specimena. 



