76 LEWIS : 



The L,ady Fish is a beautiful one, with brilliantl}^ silver 

 scales, and I have chosen it on account of the interest attach- 

 ing to its band like, transparent, larval forms. It belongs to 

 the Division of Soft Rayed Fishes, in which the fins are 

 usually without spines, as do our Shad, Herring, Salmon and 

 their allies, as well as the majority of our fresh water fishes, 

 such as the Carps, Suckers and their relations. 



In the group of the Pcrcoidca, or Perch like fishes, the dif- 

 ferent families inhabit all seas except those of arctic regions. 

 The family of the Pcrcidac, or True Perches, which includes 

 about 1 20 species, are however, inhabitants of fresh water, of 

 cool regions in the Northern Hemisphere, most of them being 

 confined to eastern North America, or to Europe. 



The great majority of the family are the Darters, all of 

 which are American. They are of small size and bright 

 colors, some of them being the most brilliantly colored fishes 

 known. Most of them prefer running water, and, when 

 frightened or hungry, dart with great velocity by a powerful 

 movement of the fan shaped front fins, which represent the 

 front limbs of quadrupeds. They vary in length from one to 

 ten inches, and belong to the great Division of Spiny Rayed 

 Fishes. 



What is of especial interest, however, is that in two differ- 

 ent genera of the group of the Darters there are to be found 

 species which, in their adult stage, are perfectly and beauti- 

 fully hyaline. 



One of these, Crystallaria asprcllus, is found in swift cur- 

 rents of clear streams in southern Indiana, Illinois, Arkansas 

 and Alabama. This is one of the largest of the Darters, and 

 is considered as a singularly interesting fish. 



Of the Sand Darters there are four different species, all of 

 them pellucid. They inhabit sandy bottoms of clear streams, 

 and bury themselves entirely, except the eyes and the snout, 

 in the sand. Although trans]iarent, they are with bright 

 reflections, as in Bohemian glass, adding greatly to their 

 beauty. These belong to the genus .liiimooypta, and are of 



