Cope.] -^^^ [Jan. 7, 



son bordered witli yellow, wliicli again is bordered with black on tlie edge 

 of the fin; the crimson is deepest just inside the yellow margin in all three. 

 The pectoral and ventral fins have a broad red margin. Thoracic region 

 turquoise. 



This species, like the last, occurs abundantly in the head waters of the 

 Cumberland River, in Tennessee, in company with P. coeruleus, Hyosto- 

 ma, and Etheostoma blennioides. 



The females of the first two present a different appearance, in their olive 

 colors, with dark vertical bars, and absence of red spots. All of the above 

 species lie on the bottom, frequently beneath stones, with the head only 

 l)rojecting on the lookout for prey. Ordinarily they lie motionless, except 

 occasionally inclining their position and exhibiting their gorgeous colors. 

 The effect of these is heightened by the crystal clearness of the waters of 

 the mountain streams, which reflect as well the beauty of a southern sky, 

 and the noble trees and flowering shrubs that border them in the rich 

 wilderness of the Cumberland range. Few more attractive spots to the 

 naturalist can be found, and among its natural treasures, these peculiar 

 little fishes are among the most curious. All the fishes of this group can 

 turn the head from side to side, and they frequently lie in a curved posi- 

 tion, or partially on one side of the body. 



It is ])ossible that one of the two species above described may be the 

 P. maculatus {Etheostoma, Kirtl. Nothonotus, Agass), but which, I have in 

 vain essayed to discover. It may be neither. The description of form 

 and colors apply best to the P. sanguifluus, but its dorsal fins are those of 

 P. camurus. If the statements " operculum double spined" and "anal 1-7" 

 are correct, it is manifestly different, but I suspect they are errors. 



The caudal i^eduncle is represented to be much more slender than in 

 our specimens, but this may also be inexact. 



POECILICHTHYS VULNEKATTJS, Cope. 



Species nova. 



General foi'm fusiform; body stoirt, depth 4.5 times in length to basis 

 caudal, peduncle very stout; dorsal line scarcely arched. Top of head 

 gently and regularly curved to end of muzzle, much as in P. sanguifluus. 

 Orbit four times in length of head to basis of opercular sijine, equal length 

 of muzzle, cheek smooth, operculum scaled, with well developed spine. 

 Fin rays«DXIV. 13. A II 8. First dorsal large, not low, caudal truncate 

 rounded, anal small. Scales small 8 — 53 — 9. 



Lines. 



Total length 25 



Caudal fin 3.8 



Base first dorsal ' 7 



Of head 5.0 



Depth at occiput 3.4 



At posterior margin first dorsal 4.G 



Color in life, light olive, with about eight vertical dark olive bars on the 

 side, which are interrupted above the lateral line. A few irregular crim- 

 son dots on the sides. Fins uniform transparent except the first dorsal 



