296 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 
notched. Rayed dorsal rounded, inserted nearly midway between 
origin of pectoral and base of caudal. Spinous anal inserted 
before origin of rayed dorsal, graduated to third spine, which is 
longest. Rayed anal similar to rayed dorsal. Caudal emarginate, 
lobes rounded. Pectoral long, reaching origin of anal, pointed, 
and second branched ray longest. Ventral inserted just behind 
origin of first dorsal spine, reaching vent which is a short dis- 
tance in front of anal, and spine a trifle more than half way to 
origin of anal. Color greenish or olive above with bluish tints, 
sides blotched and spotted with orange. Opercular flap black, its 
lower posterior margin scarlet. Side of head with 5 horizontal 
bright blue wavy stripes. Upper fins with bluish spotted with 
orange. Lower fins and belly orange. Length 434 inches. Cross- 
wicks Creek, near Trenton. 
Prevailing color of the adult olivaceous-brown in life becoming 
golden, especially on chest and side of belly, and also lower sur- 
face of head. Head with reticulating lines all over of sky-blue- 
green, mostly from eye, and also extending on preorbital region 
and maxillary. Side and back with similar lines darker above 
and not extending on anal region. Opercle black with creamy- 
white margin, except posteriorly, where it is bright red. Spinous 
dorsal grayish-dusky blotched with dusky, these blotches also 
continued on soft dorsal, which is with deep dusky-golden distally 
and its margin dull leaden-bluish. Caudal similar, also anal, but 
with more golden and margin paler blue. Ventral spine golden- 
dusky or otherwise golden with tips of rays plumbeous. Un- 
paired vertical fins also with more greenish. Pectoral dark 
golden. Inside of gill-opening pearl-colored. Iris bronzed-red- 
dish in some lights, otherwise brown. 
Abundant in all our fresh-water streams and one of our most 
brilliant and beautiful fishes. Sometimes they are found in 
schools of 20 or 30, usually fewer. They like still waters, often 
in the submerged grass, and biting at a hook baited with an 
earth-worm, grasshopper or helgramite. Many examples from 
New Jersey, from Camden County, Crosswicks Creek near 
Trenton, the Rancocas Creek near Medford, and Beesley’s Point. 
Lepomis gibbosus Abbott, Nat. Rambles, 1885, p. 477. 
