IN THE ALLEGHENY REGION OF SOUTH-WESTERN VIRGINIA. 219 



Enneacanthus guttatus. 

 Pomotis guttatus Morris, Proc. A. N. Sci. Philada 1859, p. 3. 



From Tuckalioe Creek, near Richmond, Va. 



This si38cies may be distinct from the E. obesus of Baird, and is readily dis- 

 tinguished in life. It is abundant in all the ditches near Philadelphia. 



LEPOMIS Rafinesque, Cope emend. 



This most extensive genus of North American Percida3 presents a considerable 

 variety in details of structure among its species. The presence or absence of palatine 

 teeth has been thought by Cuvier and Valenciennes and other authors to indicate 

 distinctness of genus, hence the names Brijttus, Galliurus and Ghcembri/tfus have been 

 proposed for certain species. I have been induced, after study of numerous species, 

 not to regard this peculiarity as a constant factor. The series is very short, for 

 instance, on the anterior parts of the ossa palatina in L. ardesiacus Cope, and it is 

 not unfrequently found as well developed in the Lepomis appendix, which is one of 

 the types of the genus described heretofore as without them. The form of Z. aurltus 

 Raf allies it nearly to siDCcies of the Brijttus section, yet it is without palatines. I do 

 not, however, lay much stress on the latter fact, since truly generic features may 

 separate species otherwise nearly allied ; as, e. g., HemiopUtes simidans from Ennea^ 

 canthus guttatus; Oporornis agilis from Geotldypis teplirocotls ; Centrotelma geo- 

 gruphicum from Clndidium gramdatum. 



However, there are no other characters to substantiate the supposed genus Bryttus, 

 and it therefore must fall to the ground. 



Most of the species with palatine teeth have larger mucous cavities of the cranium 

 than those without; but such species as L. nephelus and L. ardesiacus are quite 

 identical with the latter class in this respect. 



The mucous ducts open into distinct superficial pits, which are rather fissure-like, 

 in the adipose integuments of the top of the vertex and face, in the L. mineopas ; in 



Xi^,\i ^P^^i^s of the first section of the genus, these openings are much less visible in life. 

 Beic«f2.^'^^'®^^"S the species, I must express regret at not being able to identify the 



two species-~.^'^^^"bed by Dr. J. P. Kirtland in his fishes of Ohio, L. macrochira Raf. 



and L. nitidaT^i7^\- Specimens much resembling the latter, from the Wabash, I 



have referred as a suJ,^^^ variety of the L. megahtis ; but perhaps it is distinct. 



Palatine teeth wanting (w^th a few exceptions) ; dorsal spmes usually elongate, 

 nearly continuous in outli ne with the soft rays ; mucous caverns small. {LejMtnis, 



Ichthelis Raf, Holbrook.) 



56 



