284 REPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



Genus PERCA Linnanis. 



Body fusiform, somewhat compressed. Preopercle and shoulder-girdle 

 serrated. Premaxillaries protractile. Teeth on jaws, vomer and pala- 

 tines ; none of the teeth enlarged so as to form canines. Branchiostegals 

 seven. Pseudobrauchii?e small, but perfect. Lateral line complete. 



Perca FLAYE8CEN8 (Mitchell). 

 Yellow Perch. 



Perca americana, Jordan and Gilbert, 1882, 8, 524 ; 1884, 13, 414, pi, 

 168. 



Body rather stout and moderately compressed. Depth in the length 

 three and one-quarter. Head in length three and one quarter. Back 

 somewhat elevated. Mouth slightly oblique, of moderate size, the 

 maxillary reaching to pupil. Cheeks with scales. Opercles nearly 

 naked, furnished with a single spine. Scales 5-75-17. Dorsal rays 

 XIV, 14 ; anal rays II, 7. Olivacious, darker above, paler below. 

 Sides yellow, with about six to eight dusky bands running down to near 

 the belly. Dorsal fins dusky ; pectorals and ventrals usually orange. 

 Length about one foot. 



Minnesota to Quebec and southward, east of the Alleghany Moun- 

 tains, to S. Carolina. In the Mississippi Valley, not known to occur 

 south of Indiana. Far more abundant toward the north, especially iu 

 the region of the Great Lakes. 



It is common in Lake Michigan and in its tributaries and in the 

 small lakes in northern Indiana. It has been reported by Dr. O. P. 

 Jenkins as having been taken in Vigo County, but this seems to be the 

 most southerly locality where its occurrence is known. Abundant in 

 Lake Maxi'nkuckee, Marshall County (^-5, '88, 55); Lakes of Laporte 

 County, St. Joseph's River, Tippecanoe River (i, '77, 44) ; Eel River 

 system (4, '94, 39) ; Vigo County (16, 96). Dr. Forbes has found it to 

 occur in Illinois as far south as Peoria. 



This fish is one of the important food-fishes of our State. It is sold in 

 large numbers in the markets in Chicago, and is the fish most often seen 

 on the hooks of the fishermen who repose on the piers along the lake. 

 It takes the hook readily and shows some pluck when captured. It is 

 not, however, regarded as a first-class fish. 



Its spawn is deposited from December to April (Bean So, 127). The 

 eggs are laid in flat bands, consisting of a single layer agglutinated to- 

 gether by an adhesive material. The eggs are heavy and sink to the 

 bottom. They are in all probability suspended by the female upon sub- 

 merged objects, where they are left to hatch out (Ryder 11, '85, 518). 



Prof Forbes has examined the food of this species. Up to about one 

 and one-half inch in length the food consists of small crustaceans 



