ICHTHELID^]. XCII. 227 



2. MORONE, Mitchill. WHITE BASS. 

 < Labrax, Cuvier. 



1. M. americana, (Gmel.) Gill. WHITE PERCH. Whit- 

 ish, usually faintly striped; depth 3 in length; D. 

 IX I, 12; A. Ill, 9; lat. 1. 50. Atlantic Coast, 

 abundant also in fresh water ponds, etc., coastwise; 

 variable. (L. mucronatus, rufus and pallidus, authors.) 



2. M. interrupta. Gill. SHORT - STRIPED OR BRASSY 

 BASS. Silvery, with interrupted black stripes ; D. 

 IX I, 13; A. Ill, 9. Mississippi Valley, chiefly south- 

 ward. (L. chrysops, Grd., not of Gill.) 



FAMILY XCIL ICHTHELIDJS. 



(The Sun FisTies.) 



Percoid fishes with a single dorsal fin, either continu- 

 ous or deeply divided, with eight to twelve spines; anal 

 fin large, with three to nine spines; ventrals thoracic, I, 

 5; body oblong, more or less elevated, sometimes much 

 compressed; opercular bones feebly if at all serrated, 

 often with entire edges; scales scarcely ctenoid, some- 

 times cycloid; cleft of mouth more or less oblique, lower 

 jaw the longer; villiform teeth on jaws, vomer and usually 

 on palatines; many species with a small supernumerary 

 bone lying behind the maxillary and parallel with it; 

 others with a more or less prolonged flap extending 

 backwards from the upper angle of the opercle; nearly 

 all with a black spot at this point, which also covers the 

 flap if the latter is developed; colors usually brilliant, 

 chiefly olive green, with spots or shades of blue, yellow, 

 orange or violet. Fresh water fishes; many of them 

 build nests which they defend with much courage; all 

 are carnivorous, voracious and " gamey." Genera about 

 fifteen; species forty; all American, and most abundant 



