56 PKELIMINARY REPORT 



Stone Lake (Woolman, 1802, Report U. S. Fisli Comm., 1893). The 

 two species of Pomoxis are so much alike in general appearance that 

 they are not generally distinguished, yet is is easily done by count- 

 ing the dorsal spines. The Nat. Hist. Surv. desires very much to 

 get information concerning the occurrence of this species in the 

 state. 



Pomoxis sparoides (Lacepede). Calico Bass. Strawbeny Bass. Grass Bass. 



Color silver}', mottled with olive green, forming irregular dark 

 blotch'^s all over the body. Anal tin, as well as the dorsal and 

 caudal, marked with many irregular cross lines. Body oblong; 

 much compressed; back elevated; head not much depressed over 

 the region of the eyes. Mouth smaller than in the preceding spe- 

 cies, maxillary reaching to the posterior edge of the pupil, but not 

 beyond. Fins very high, higher than in P. (Diiuilaris. Head con- 

 tained 3 times in the length. Depth 2. Dorsal fin high, its height 

 contained 4 to 5 times in the length of the body, its rays VII or 

 VIII, 15. Anal VI, 17 or 18. Scales 40 to 45 in the lateral line, 6 

 rows on the cheek. Length 12 inches. Very common in the state. 



Numerous specimens have been taken in the lakes and streams 

 of the Upper Mississippi (Nat. Hist. Surv., 1892-3-5); it is very 

 common in Lake Washington, near Mankato, and specimens have 

 been taken from the Blue Earth River at the same place (Cox, 

 1891-5). 



Genus AMBLOPLITES Rafinesque. 

 Ambloplites rupestris (Rafinesque). Rock Bass. 



General color olive green; the young very much mottled, some- 

 times yellowish tinged; adult with many broken longitudinal 

 stripes; body only moderately compressed for fishes of this family. 

 Head large and heavy; mouth large; maxillary bone large, a well 

 developed supplemental bone on its upper edge; lower jaw project- 

 ing beyond the upper; jaws, vomer, palatines, pterygoids and 

 tongue with teeth. Gill rakers less than 10; branchiostegal rays 

 6; two flat points on the posterior edge of the opercle; preopercle 

 somewhat serrate. Head contained 2f times in the length. Depth 

 2 to 2^. Eye 3| in the head. Dorsal fin much longer than the anal, 

 its rays XI, 10. Anal VI, 10. Scales large, 5-39-12, 6 to 8 rows 

 on the cheek. Length 12 inches. 



A very common and valuable food fish in all the lakes and 

 streams of the state. Numerous specimens have been taken from 

 the streams and lakes of the Upper Mississippi (Nat. Hist. Surv., 



