66 



ftquatic JLltz 



to twelve vertical bars, with pale inter- 

 spaces. Technical descriptions give the 

 bars and interspaces as equal in width, 

 and somewhat less in width tha-.' th<: 

 diameter of the eye. In this my speci- 

 mens disagree. The interspaces are quite 

 uniform, but the bars just behind the 

 head are three times this width, decreas- 

 ing gradually backwards until at the 

 caudal they do equal the interspaces. 



variation, almost instantaneous, both in 

 mere intensity and in the appearance and 

 disappearance of the vertical bars. At 

 times a fish may be quite pale, so much 

 so that it appears nearly uniform in col- 

 or, or it may be dotted or mottled ; again 

 the bars may be either faint or promi- 

 nent. Among a number all phases will 

 be apparent under identical conditions, 

 but the most intense display is reserved 



\ 1 



\ 



Habitat of the Pigmy Sunfish, Elassoma zonatnm, at Mound, Louisiana 



for the male. In breeding dress he is 



When the coloring is deep they are much 

 more sharply defined than in the illustra- 

 tion. On the sides, just below the for- 

 ward portion of the dorsal, appears a 

 large, more or less evanescent black spot, 

 most pronounced in the male, with an- 

 other spot at the base of the caudal. In 

 the absence of bars numerous fine spots, 

 becoming confluent at times and forming 

 lignt blotches, cover the body. Similar 

 but larger dots are disposed in more or 

 less regular rows on the fins. 



The coloration is subject to wide 



altogether a handsome little fellow. The 

 head and the bars become intense black, 

 the interspaces dusky, the forward 

 spaces flashing with yellowish metallic 

 green, with deeper spots on the gill-cov- 

 ers. The fins, all save the pectorals, 

 heretofore pale and transparent become 

 decided blue-black, just short of being 

 opaque, with the numerous spots quite 

 prominent. When the color recedes, 

 which it will do momentarily to return 

 as quickly, the fading becomes noticeable 



