84 CHECK LIST OF THE 



tackle will afford fair sport to the angler. To the schoolboy the Rock 

 Bass is a "joy forever," for it rarely refuses a bait even when offered upon 

 the coarsest tackle, and a good string will always reward his efforts if he 

 strikes ihc right places. 



The spawning season is in May or June, when a shallow nest is 

 scooped out on some gravelly or sandy bar, in which the eggs are 

 deposited. Over this the parent fish watch with unremitting care until 

 the young are hatched. 



Genus CH.^NOBRYTTUS. (Warmolths.) 



This genus has the general form and dentition of Amboplites, with 

 the convex opercle, ten dorsal and three anal spines of Lepomis. Pre- 

 opercle entire ; branchiostegals six ; caudal fin emarginate ; scales weakly 

 ctenoid; vertebrae, 13+16=29; posterior processes of the premaxillaries 

 extending nearly to the frontals ; frontals posteriorly with a transverse 

 ridge connecting the parietal and supraoccipital crest, which are very 

 strong. 



(88) Warmouth. 



(Chaenobryttus gulosus.) 



Body heavy and deep, but more elongate than in our common Sun- 

 fishes ; head rather long ; eye moderate ; mouth large, the maxillary reach- 

 ing to below hind margin of eye ; gill rakers eight or nine, besides some 

 rudiments ; opercular spot about as large as the eye. The dorsal begins 

 further back than the pectoral, its spines low. 



D. X., 9 to 10; A. III., 8 to 9. Scales, 6-40 to 46-12. 



Colour very variable, usually olive green, clouded with darker; a 

 dusky spot on each scale more or less distinct ; vertical fins mottled with 

 dusky; a faint spot on last rays of dorsal bordered by paler; three oblique 

 dusky bars radiating from eye ; belly yellowish. 



It reaches a length of about ten inches. 



I am under the impression that some years ago this fish was found in 

 the marsh at Toronto, and also near Hamilton, but of late no specimens 

 have been obtainable. It should occur in Lake Erie and will probably be 

 found in the Niagara district. Its centre of abundance is, however, south 

 of this Province. 



Genus APOMOTIS. 



This genus is very close to Lepomis, from which it differs only in the 

 development of the supplementary maxillary bone, which becomes rudi- 

 mentary or wanting in the adult of Lepomis. The mouth is largest in the 

 species in which this bone is best developed. Lower pharyngeals narrow. 



