HABITS OF THE PERCH, ETC. 



455 



tropical and subtropical seas. It is provided with a broad 

 oval sucker on tlie upper side of the head, by which it ad- 

 heres to other fish or even to ships, and may tluis be trans- 

 ported long distances. Another noticeable member of the 

 order is the blue-fish (Pomatonms saltatrix Linn., Fig. 417), 

 so Taltiable as a food- fish. 



Fig. 416.— The BiU-fisti, Belone longirosirus. — From the AmeHcan Naturalist. 



The dolphin (Goriiplimm) is sometimes found upon our 

 coast, but it is essentially a pelagic fish, occurring only out 

 of sight of land upon the high seas. The pilot-fish is also 

 a pelagic form. 



The percoid -fishes are represented by the perch {Percafiu- 

 viatilis Linn.), wliich spawns in winter, making slight hol- 

 lows in the gravel in shoal places in ponds ; their movements 



^a^2g§ 



Fig. 417.— The Blue-fish, Pomatomas 

 American Naiuratiat. 



one sixth natural size. — From the 



can be watched through the ice. On the other hand, the 

 sun-fish or bream {Eupomotis anre^is G. and J.) spawns in 

 the summer time, making a nest, which they scoop out of 

 the river bottom. The banded sun-fish {Mesogoni-ituis cIkb- 

 todon Gill) occasionally scoops out a little basin in the sand, 

 in which it deposits its eggs late in the spring. The spotted 



