FISHES OF MINNESOTA 59 



Lepouiis hliniilis (Girard). Red-spotted Sunfish. 



Color somewhat bluish, spotted with jjfieen, many circular red 

 spots (m the sides; a dim, black spot at the base of the posterior 

 portion of the dorsal Tin; lower fins and lower part of the body red. 

 Body somewhat elongate; back not greatly elevated for fishes of 

 this family. The rather long opercular flap with a red edge sur- 

 rounding the black. Pectoral tins shorter than the head. Gill 

 rakers well developed, X+9 to 11. Head contained 2f to 3 times 

 in the length of the body. Depth 2]- to 2^. Eye 3 to U in the 

 head. Dorsal fin X, 10 or 11, its spines rather high, longest spine 

 nearly \ the length of the head. Anal III, 8 or 9. Scales 5-33 to 

 39-11. Length 4 inches. 



Probably not common. It was described from Lake Wittlesey 

 as Bryttus ocultatus Cope (Jour. Ac. Nat. Sci., Phila., 83, 1865). 

 There is no other record of its occurrence in the state. 



Liepomis pallidlis (Mitchill). Blue-gill. Blue Bxeam. Blue SuDfisli. 



Color greenish varying to dark in the adult, young lighter, sil- 

 very, sometimes purplish; young generally marked with very 

 irregular dark cross bars; cheeks without blue stripes; a black spot 

 generally present at the base of the last dorsal and anal rays, dis- 

 tinct in the adult and often wanting in the young; fins never red, 

 but sometimes the lower part of the body is dull red. Body much 

 compressed, short and deep, adults much shorter in proportion than 

 the young. Head medium, depressed above the eyes; mouth small 

 and oblique; lower jaw not projecting; maxillary bone reaching 

 the front of the eye socket; opercular flap rather small in the young, 

 becoming longer and wider in proportion in the adult, edge not 

 pale; gill rakers moderate, X, 11 to 13. Head contained about 3 

 times in the length. Depth about 2. Eye 3^ to 4 in the head. 

 Dorsal spines X, 11 or 12, strong, the longest ^ the length of the 

 head. Anal III, 10 to 12. Scales 7-43 to 52-16, 5 rows on the cheek. 

 Length 12 inches. 



Very common in the state. Specimens have been recorded from 

 Fort Snelling as Poniotis hma Girard (Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci., Phila., 

 201, 1857); common in the streams and lakes of the Upper Missis- 

 sippi (Nat. Hist. Surv., 1892-3-5); Big Stone Lake and Minnesota 

 River at Ortonville, very common (Woolman, 1892, Report U. S. 

 Fish Coram., 1893, p. 352). 



