Jordan and F/vermann. Pishes of North America. 093 



none on the tongue. Opercle ending behind in 2 flat points, with a 

 dermal border. Preopercle entire. Scales rather large, the lateral line 

 sometimes interrupted. Gill rakers short, 9 or 10 below angle of arch. 

 Dorsal fin continuous, normally with 9 spines ; anal fin smaller than the 

 dorsal, with 3 spines; caudal fin convex behind. Branchiostegals 6. 

 Species of small size and bright coloration, intermediate between Lepomis 

 and Centrarchus. Abnormal variations in the number of dorsal and anal 

 spines have given rise to the nominal genera Hemioplites and Copelandia. 

 (wea, nine; uKavtia, spine.) 



a. Opercular spot large, more than half eye; sides with 5 to 8 distinct vertical black bars. 



OBESUS, 1388. 



aa. Opercular spot smaller than half eye; body with the crossbars narrower and less distinct, 

 usually disappeai'ing with age; male with head, body, and vertical fltis with round 

 sky-blue spots; female duller with lower fins and larger faint spots. GLORIOSUS, 1389. 



1388. ENNEACANTHUS OBESUS (Baird). 



Head 2 ; depth U J eye 3 in head. D. IX, 10 ; A. Ill, 10 ; scales 4-32-10, 

 the pores developed usually on about 20 scales, but sometimes on nearly 

 all of them. Body oblong, ovate, elliptical. Scales large, little crowded. 

 Gill rakers x-f-9or 10. Dorsal spines 2 in head, as long as from snout 

 to posterior margin of eye ; anal fin large ; ventral spine not reaching vent, 

 its first ray not reachingthe base of the last anal spine ; caudal fin moderate, 

 about as long as from snout to middle of opercle; opercular spot rather 

 large, more than half the size of eye, velvet black, bordered with purple. 

 Cheeks with 4 rows of scales. Color olivaceous, with 5 to 8 well-defined 

 blackish cross bars, not disappearing with age; spots on body and fins 

 purplish or golden ; cheek with lines and spots ; a dark bar below eye. 

 Length 3 inches. Charles River, Massachusetts, to Florida ; abundant in 

 sluggish streams near the coast j usually larger in size and duller in color 

 than the next, the two closely related but apparently not intergrading. 

 (obesus, fat.) 



Pomotis obesus, BAIBD, Ninth Smithson. Report, 1854, 324, Beesley Point, New Jersey. (Coll. 



Baird.) 

 Brytlus fasciatus, HOLBROOK, Jour. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1855,51, St. Johns River, Florida; 



GUNTHER, Cat., i, 260, 1859. 



Pomotis guttatus, MORRIS, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, 3, Delaware River, Philadelphia. 

 Enneacantlius obesus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 470, 1883; BOLLMAN, I. c., 564. 

 Apomotis obesut, BOULENQER, Cat., I, 19. 



1389. ENNEACANTHUS GLORIOSUS (Holbrook). 



Head 2f ; depth 2; eye 3i in head. D. IX, 10 ; A. Ill, 9 (occasionally 

 D. X, or A. IV, in abnormal specimens, these often abundant in 

 certain streams); scales 3-30-9. Body comparatively elongate. Mouth 

 moderate, very oblique, the maxillary reaching just past front of orbit. 

 Dorsal spines medium ; soft rays in the males somewhat elevated, reach- 

 ing to or beyond ( var. pinniger) the base of the caudal ; the longest soft 

 ray as long as from snout to front of opercle, or (var. pinniger} as long as 

 head ; fins in females all lower ; pectoral fin reaching nearly to middle of 

 F . N . A. 64 



