270 ELEMENTARY ZOOLOGY 



is a beautiful fish, shining "like a coin fresh from the 

 mint." Its body is mottled golden, orange and blue, 

 with metallic lustre, darker above, pale or yellowish 

 below. Its fins are of the same color. The tip of its 

 opercle is prolonged like an ear and jet black in color, 

 with a dash of bright scarlet along its lower edge. Nearly 

 all the thirty species of sunfish found in the United States 

 have this black ear, but some have it long, some short, 

 and in some it is trimmed with yellow or blue instead of 

 scarlet. 



The sunfish lays its eggs in the spring in a rude nest it 

 scoops in the gravel, over which it stands guard with its 

 bright fins spread, looking as big and dangerous as 

 possible. When thus employed it takes the hook savagely, 

 perhaps regarding the worm as a dangerous enemy. The 

 young fishes soon hatch, looking very much like their 

 parents, although more transparent and not so brightly 

 colored. They grow rapidly, feeding on insects and 

 other small creatures, and reach their growth in two or 

 three years. They do not wander far and never willingly 

 migrate. Students should verify this account on the 

 different species. A more exact study of the nests of the 

 different species and the fishes' defence of them would be 

 a valuable addition to our knowledge. The most striking 

 traits of the habits of this fish are its vivacity and courage ; 

 it reveals its great muscular strength when captured. 

 The sexes are similar in appearance and both defend the 

 nest alike. 



OTHER FISHES. 



Fishes constitute the largest class of vertebrate animals 

 and are to be found eveTywhereFTn ponds, streams, or 

 ocean. About 15,000 species offish are known, of which 

 3,000 live in North America. Thejargest ofjil^ fishes is 

 the basking shark (Cetorhinus), which- reaches a length 



