238 FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



This is one of the smallest, most beautiful, and most interesting of the sun- 

 fishes. Although it ranges from New Jersey to southern North Carolina and is 

 abundant in the latter state, there are no published records of its occurrence 

 south of Maryland. Specimens in the National Museum were collected in Neuse 

 River at Kinston about 1874, and in ponds along the Cape Fear River at 

 Wilmington in 1899 by W. P. Seal. The species has no common name except 

 banded or black-banded sun-fish, and this exists only in books, as the fish is 

 unknown to fishermen. 



According to Mr. Seal, who has collected many specimens of this fish in New 

 Jersey and North Carolina for aquarium purposes, in the latter state it is abun- 

 dant in rice ditches, creeks, and ponds connected with Cape Fear River. It is 

 always found among water plants, and occupies very circumscribed areas in the 

 waters in which found, differing markedly in this respect from Enneacanthus, 

 which is distributed throughout the waters. 



In 1901 Mr. Seal forwarded to the United States Bureau of Fisheries from 

 Wilmington 50 living examples of this fish, which were kept in aquaria for nearly 

 a year and proved very attractive and interesting. One peculiarity of behavior 

 was their habit of clustering on the leaves or branches of water plants and 

 remaining perfectly quiet for long periods. Sometimes, every fish would be 

 thus situated, and, if the vegetation was profuse, very eiTectively concealed. 

 On one occasion 14 of them were packed on the top of a tall narrow spray of 

 Myriophyllum with their heads turned outward. The fish often rest with the 

 long axis of the body vertical, the head being up. When disturbed, even when 

 touched, they leave the hiding or resting place with reluctance, and proceed to a 

 new place with a few short rapid darts. 



Judging by its behavior in captivity, this dainty little fish eats only living, 

 moving food. Even when very hungry, it refused chopped meat. When suppli- 

 plied with white-fish fry and trout fry it ate them promptly, but without great 

 avidity. One fish which struck at a trout fry failed to grasp it, and, although the 

 fry dropped to the bottom dead, the sun-fish did not notice it further. Another 

 stopped following a trout fry to pursue a gammarid. Insect larvsB and small 

 Crustacea were always eaten readily, and such animals are doubtless the usual 

 natural food. 



The species spawns in North Carolina in March. Some of the specimens 

 forwarded by Mr. Seal were in spawning condition, he having expressed ripe eggs 

 from them before shipment. In the aquarium, however, they did not spawn. 



Genus LEPOMIS Rafinesque. Common Sun-fishes. 



These are the typical "sun-fishes" which in the Southern States are usually 

 called "bream", "brim", or "perch", with or without qualifying names. They 

 are numerous as to both species and individuals, and are among the best known 

 of American lake, pond, river, and creek fishes. Their brilliant coloration and 

 the avidity with which they take the baited hook make them very popular with 

 youthful anglers and compensate for thjeir comparatively small size. The 



