HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 57 



LABRAX RUFUS, Dekay. 



The White Perch. 



(PLATE I. FIG. 1.) 



Bodianus rufus, Red Perch, MITCHILL, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. of N. Y., i. p. 420. 

 Le petit Bar d'AmMque, Labrax mitcronatus, Cuv. et VAL., H. p. 86, pi. 121. 

 Labrax mucronalus, Small American Bass or White Perch, STOKER, Report, p. 8. 

 Labrax rufus, Ruddy Bass, DF.KAY, Report, p. 9, pi. 3, fig. 7. 

 Labrax mucronalus, AVRES, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist., iv. p. 257. 



White Perch, LINSLEY, Cat. of Fishes of Conn. 



Labrax rvfus, STOKER, Mem. of Amer. Acad., New Series, H. p. 274. 



" " STOKER, Synopsis, p. 22. 



Color. A silvery gray, darker above the lateral line. The sides and gill-covers 

 exhibit metallic reflections. Lips, intermaxillaries, and tongue minutely dotted with 

 black. Dorsals, pectorals, and caudal brown ; ventrals and anal rose-colored at their 

 base ; throat also rosaceous. Pupils black ; irides silvery. 



Description. Body much compressed, a perceptible convexity in front of the first 

 dorsal fin. The depth of the body across from the first dorsal is to the length about 

 as 3% to 10. The length of the head to the whole length of the body is as 1 to 4. 

 The gill-covers, intermaxillary bones, and the space between the eyes are scaled ; the 

 portion in front of the eyes and nostrils is naked. The eyes are circular ; their 

 diameter is to the distance between the eyes as 3 to 5. The nostrils are situated just 

 in advance of the superior anterior angle of the eye ; the posterior is oval, the larger, 

 and placed obliquely, pointing backwards ; the anterior is circular. The upper jaw is 

 protractile ; both jaws are armed with numerous very minute teeth. The tongue has 

 a row of very delicate teeth upon its sides. The preoperculum is serrated posteriorly 

 and inferiorly, the serrations upon the inferior edge being much the larger. The oper- 

 culum has at its posterior edge a sharp spinous process, and above this, separated by 

 an emargination, is an obtuse point. 



The scales upon their exposed surface are covered with minute dots, like those of 

 the lips and tongue ; they are denticulated at their edge. Seven scales are found in an 

 oblique line from the lateral line to the origin of the first dorsal fin. The lateral line, 

 which is very distinct, commences just beneath the subscapular bone, and, rising a little 

 at first, pursues nearly a straight course, from a line opposite the commencement of the 

 first dorsal, to the tail, including 55 scales. 



The first dorsal fin arises opposite the anterior half of the pectorals, and is entirely 

 composed of spinous rays ; the first of these is the shortest, and the fourth the longest ; 

 the fin is about half as long as high. The membrane of the last ray of this fin is 

 continued to the base of the first ray of the second dorsal, which is nearly quadrangular, 



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