922 FISHES — CENTBARCHID^. 



in nnmber ; ventral fins thoracic, each with one spine and five soft rays ; candal fin 

 either slightly forked or Innate, or else rounded ; month terminal, usually more or less 

 oblique; the protractile premaxillaries forming the lateral margins of ^ the upper jaw ; 

 yilliform teeth on jaws and vomer, and usually on palatines also.; teeth sometimes 

 present on tongne and pterygoid bones ; pharyngeal bones provided with teeth which 

 are conical and acute in most cases, But sometimes more or less rounded or truncate ; 

 gill-rakers of anterior branchial arch, exhibiting various degrees of development, long, 

 setiform and numerous in Pomoxys and Centrarchus, shorter and less numerous in the 

 others ; maxillary bone in most cases broad and flat, with a small, supplemental bone 

 lying paxallel with it, on its posterior margin. In a few species of Lepomi$ this bone is 

 minute or obsolete, and the maxillary is reduced in size ; body covered with scales, 

 which are rarely strongly ctenoid, and are sometimes cycloid ; cheeks and opercles scaly ; 

 opercular bones usually nearly or quite entire ; the preopercl^ commonly slightly den- 

 tate at its angle ; operculum (Lepomia, Cheenoiryttm) provided sometimes at its upper pos- 

 terior angle with a more or less prolonged flap, which is alvrays black, usually with pale 

 edging ; in other cases the operculum ends behind in two flat points, with a membra- 

 nous border. In all cases a more or leas distinct, dusky spot is present at that point. 

 Coloration usually brilliant ; ground color olive-green, varied in some cases with yel- 

 low, orange, or blue. The species of Lepomia are in particular very brightly colored, and * 

 many of the others are among the most ornate of our fresh water fishes. 



All the Cenlrarchida are North American, and with one exception ( Archoplitea interrup- 

 ius, of the Sacramento Elver), all the species are confined to the Eastern and Southern 

 United States and neighboring parts of Canada and Mexico. About twenty-five species 

 probably exist, although more than a hundred have been described. All of them whioli 

 reach a sufficient size are valued as food fishes. All of them in habits are carnivorous, 

 voracious, and "gamey." Most of them construct rnde nests in the spawnicg season, 

 which they defend with much spirit. 



Many of the species have a wide range, and are subject to considerable variations 

 from the differences of food, water, and other causes. This is especially true in regard 

 to the species of Micropterus and Lepomis. The latter genus is one of the most difficult 

 among our fishes, in which to distinguish species. 



The family Cenirarchidw was first distinguished by Dr. Gunther in 1859, as tribe 

 Gryetina, and more fully defined in 1860 by Dr. Holbrook, under tho name Ichthelidte. 

 In 1864 Dr. Gill first circumscribed it under the name Centrarchidce, the namss lehihelida 

 and Grystida being considered untenable, as the genera called Grystea and lohtlielia had 

 both received prior names ilioropterua and Lepomia. Its relations are very close to the 

 SerranidcB and other Perooid groups, from which it can scarcely be distinguished as a 

 true family. 



Analysis of Genera of Centkarchid^. 



* Body more or less short and deep, compressed ; dorsal fin not deeply notched. 

 a. Dorsal and anal fins about equal, the soft portion of the latter longest and most 

 posterior ; operole emargiuate ; gill-rakers setiform, very long, finely dentate, 

 in large nnmber ; caudal fin emargiuate. 

 i. Spinous dorsal shorter than soft part, the spines 5 to 8 in number, rapidly grad- 

 uated ; anal spines normally 6 ; body compressed and elongate ; mouth large. 



Pomoxys. 61. 



