72 PRELIMINARY REPORT 



Boleichthys exilis Giraid. 



This species differs from B. fusiformis in liaving nalvcd cheeks. 

 Color yellowisli brown, dotted with black; dorsal and caudal fins 

 barred with black; a black spot on the top of the head; a black 

 line extending from the eye to the lower jaw and one forward 

 towards the snout. Bodj^ compressed. Head contained 3| times 

 in the length. Depth 5^ to 6. Dorsal fin IX or X-10 or 11. Anal 

 II, 7 to 9. Length 1 to 2 inches. 



This species, which must be rare in the state, is listed from the 

 Red River of the North in Jordan & Evermann's Fishes of North and 

 Middle America, I, 1103, the data having been taken from specimens 

 in the Mus. of Comp. Zool., N. Y. Other data are needed to estab- 

 lish permanently the presence of both B. fusiformis and B. exilis. 



Genus MICROPERCA Putnam. 



Microperca punctulata Putnam. Least Darter. 



General color olivaceous, much shaded with dark brown, which 

 color forms indistinct bars on the sides and many irregular mark- 

 ings; soft dorsal and caudal fins barred; dark lines radiating from 

 the eye; shoulder with a dark spot. Body short, compressed, the 

 back elevated; head not very large, snout decurved; mouth ter- 

 minal, oblique, jaws equal; maxillary extending to below the eye. 

 Vertical fins short; anal spines well developed. Head contained 

 3f to 4 times in the length. Depth U to 5. Dorsal fin VI to VIII- 

 9 or 10. Anal II, 6. Scales 34 to 39-9, no lateral line present; 

 back of the neck, cheeks and breast naked; opercles with a few 

 scales; scales ctenoid. Length 1 to 1^ inches. 



This little darter is probably rather common in the streams and 

 lakes of the Upper Mississippi, where a few specimens have been 

 taken. Its very small size makes it difficult to collect. Specimens 

 are now recorded from Pine Creek, Crow Wing County (Nat. Hist. 

 Surv., 1892) ; at Grand Rapids (Woolman & Cox, 1894). 



Family SERRANID J). The Sea Bass. 



Body compressed, oblong, covered with scales, these generally 

 ctenoid. Mouth rather large; upper jaw protractile; maxillary 

 bones broad. Teeth sharp and present on the jaws, vomer, tongue 

 and palatine bones. Gill rakers armed with teeth; a slit behind 

 the fourth gill; pseudobranchia well developed; lower pharyngeal 

 teeth pointed; gill membranes free from the isthmus; branchios- 

 tegal rays 7; cheeks and opercles scaly; opercles with two flat 



