354 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



is rather large for the size of the fish; the lower jaw somewhat 

 longer than the upper; the maxilla reaches to front of eye; jaws^ 

 vomer and palatine bones with villif orm bands of teeth ; lateral 

 line wanting. The depth of the body is two sevenths and length 

 of the head one third of the total without caudal. The eye i^ 

 two ninths as long as the head. The origin of dorsal is much 

 in advance of the middle of the total length; the pectorals do> 

 not reach as far back as the ventrals; ventrals more than one 

 half length of head; the longest anal spine three sevenths of 

 length of head; the caudal rounded. Scales in 48 to 55 series. 

 The color is variable, sometimes olivaceous, at other times dark 

 brown with numerous dark punctulations; a dark bar at the 

 base of the caudal followed by a light one. 



The pirate perch ranges from New York westward to Minne- 

 sota, and in the Mississippi valley it extends to Louisiana. In 

 Pennsylvania the species occurs in Lake Erie, probably in tribu- 

 taries of the Ohio and in the lower Delaware. Common in East 

 lake at Patchogue and in the head of Swan river. 



The farthest place east from which it is known appears to be 

 Suffolk county on Long Island.^ 



This is one of the most interesting little fishes of the fresh 

 waters, particularly because the position of the vent varies with 

 age. In the young it is behind the ventrals, while in the adult 

 it is in the throat. 



The fish grows to a length of 4 inches. Nothing is recorded 

 about its habits except that it is very voracious and feeds at 

 night. It is common in sluggish streams and ponds in the 

 shelter of aquatic plants. In captivity it has never been 

 observed to feed; perhaps it takes food, however, at night, but 

 it does not thrive in the aquarium. 



Suborder fercesoces 



Family j^s^therinidj^e: 



Silversides 



Genus menidia (Bonaparte) J. & G. 



Body elongate, more or less compressed; head oblong, com- 

 pressed; belly before ventrals, more or less rounded in section, 



^See Ayres. Enumeration of the. Fishes of Brookhaven L. I. etc. Bost. 

 Jour. Nat. Hist. 1844, IV. _ 



