SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE OF FISHES. 



231 



The calico bass spawns in March in Cape Fear River, several weeks later 

 in the Albemarle section. The mated fish prepare their nest, and zealously 

 guard their eggs and brood in the same manner as the black basses, remaining 

 with the fry until the latter begin to take food; at times they have been observed 

 to show great pugnacity in defence of their progeny. 



Genus CENTRARCHUS Cuvier & Valenciennes. Fliers; Round Sun-fishes. 



This genus embraces a single small species which is one of the most beautiful 

 of the sun-fishes. Among the generic characters are the short, deep, and com- 

 pressed body; projecting lower jaw; well developed supplemental bone on 

 maxillary; teeth on jaws, tongue, vomer, palatines, and pterygoids; long, slender, 

 numerous gill-rakers; large fins; large ctenoid scales; and complete lateral line. 

 {Centrarchus, spiny vent.) 



199. CENTRARCHUS MACROPTERUS (Lacepede). 



"Flier"; "Mill-pond Perch"; "Sun-fish". 



Labrus macropterus Lac^pfede, Histoire Naturelle des Poissonsi, iii, 447, 1802; Charleston, S. C. 

 Centrarchus irideua. Cope, 18706, 451; Neuse River. 



Centrarchus macropterus, Jordan, 18896, 130; Neuse River at Millburnie, Little River at Goldsboro. Smith, 

 1893a, 199; Roanoke River at Plymouth. Jordan & Evermann, 189(5, 988, pi. civ, fig. 417. 



V^.^. 



ISIM^ 



nA/^"^^.::?^^ 



Fig. 100. Flier. Centrarchus macropterus. 



Diagnosis. — Body comparatively short, profile from dorsal fin to eye very steep, depth .5 

 length; head contained 2.75 to 3 times in length; mouth oblique, rather small, the maxillary 

 extending to pupil; eye contained 3.5 to 4 times in head; scales in lateral series 38 to 45, in 

 transverse series 21, 4 to 6 rows on cheeks; dorsal rays xi to xiii,12 to 14; anal rays vii,15 or 

 viii,15. Color: bright yellowish green or pea green, with longitudinal rows of small dark- 

 brown spots; a dark spot below eye; soft dorsal and anal obscurely mottled or with narrow 

 blackish bars, (macropterus, large-finned.) 



