292 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 
Lepomis auritus (Linnzus). 
PLATE 41. 
River Sun Fish. Black Eared Sun Fish. Long Eared Sun Fish. 
Hound Eared Sun Fish. Red Bellied Sun Fish. 
Head to end of flap 234; depth 2%; D. X, 12; A. III, 9, 1; 
scales 46 in lateral line to base of caudal, and about 4 large ones 
on latter; 7 scales obliquely back from origin of spinous dorsal 
to lateral line; 14 scales in an oblique series forward from origin 
of spinous anal to lateral line; mandible 234 in head; eleventh 
dorsal spine 3; seventh dorsal ray 2%; third anal spine 3; fifth 
anal ray 2%; least depth of caudal peduncle 2%; caudal about 
136; pectoral 134; pectoral 134; ventral 1°/,,; snout 4% in 
head measured from tip of upper jaw; eye 44%; maxillary 3; 
interorbital space 4%. Body rather elongate, well compressed, 
and greatest depth at origin of ventral. Back hardly elevated so 
that both profiles of body are similarly convex. Head a little 
large, upper profile more inclined than lower. Snout about equal 
to eye. Orbit circular, about first third in length of head. Mouth 
a little inclined and gape extending about opposite posterior nos- 
tril. Maxillary extending a little beyond front rim of orbit, but 
not to pupil, without supplemental bone, and its distal expansion 
equals pupil. Width of preorbital 24 of orbit. Jaws rather large 
and lower protruding a little. Teeth in jaws in villiform bands, 
each with an outer enlarged series of conic teeth. A patch of 
vomerine teeth, and a few obsolete ones on palatines. Tongue 
rather broad and free. Lips fleshy. Nostrils near together in 
front of eye. Interorbital space rather broad and convex. A few 
blunt serree at lower edge of preopercle. Opercle ending in a long 
cutaneous flap directed posteriorly and upwards, much narrower 
than orbit. Suprascapula entire. Gill-rakers mm 1 + 5 Iv, short, 
thick, robust and asperous. Scales on body large, finely ctenoid, 
becoming reduced and crowded on cheek, breast, predorsal region 
and bases of vertical fins. Scales on cheek in 8 series. Lateral 
line of simple tubes and more or less concurrent with dorsal 
profile. Spinous dorsal begins a little behind origin of ventral, 
