116 TELEOSTEI: ACANTHOPTERI. — XX. 
154. ENNEACANTHUS Gill. (évvéa, nine; dxav6a, spine.) 
a. Depth usually more than half length; opercular spot large, more than 
half eye. 
303. BE. obesus (Baird). Olivaceous, with 5 to 8 distinct dark 
cross-bars; spots on body and fins golden or purplish; cheek with 
lines and spots; a dark bar below eye; cheek with 4 rows of scales; 
lateral line usually incomplete; fins moderate, spine of V. not 
reaching vent. Head 22; depth 14. D. IX, 10. A. II, 10. 
Scales 4-32-10. L. 4. Mass. to Fla., common coastwise. (Lat., 
fat.) 
aa. Depth usually less than half length; opercular flap small, bordered with 
pearly and blue. 
304. EB. simulans (Cope). Dark olive, young faintly barred; a 
dark bar below eye; g with head, body and vertical fins with 
round sky-blue spots; @ duller, with lower fins and larger, faint 
spots; lateral line usually complete. Head 2%; depth 21. D. IX, 
10. <A. III, 9. Scales 3-30-9. L. 5. N. J. to S. C., com- 
mon coastwise; (number of spines sometimes variable). (Lat., 
resembling.) 
305. EB. eriarchus (Jordan). Olivaceous; vertical fins with 
round pale spots; lateral line incomplete; fins very large, espe- 
cially A., which is reached by the ventral spines; scales on cheek, 
in 3 rows. Head 23; depth 2}. D. X,9. A. IV. 8 (in typical 
example probably abnormal). Scales 4-33-10. L. 8. Wis. to 
Mo.; two specimens known. (épi, an intensive particle; dpxos, 
anus. ) 
155. MESOGONISTIUS Gill. (jécos, middle; yovia, angle; 
iorioy, sail.) 
306. M. chzetodon (Baird). Body suborbicular, the mouth 
very small, the fins high. Straw-color, with dark clouds; 6 to 8 
irregular, sharply-defined black bars across body and fins, the first 
bar through eye. Head 3; depth 13. D. X, 10. A. III, 12. 
Scales 4-28-10. L. 3. N.J.to Md., in sluggish streams; hand- 
somest of the sun-fishes. (A genus of fishes.) 
156. BBPORTHS Rafinesque. Sun-Fisuzs. (JIchthelis, Pomotis, 
and Apomotis Rafinesque.) 
(A large genus, one of the most difficult in our fauna, as the 
species are subject to great individual variations, especially with 
age. On the other hand the numbers of scales and fin-rays are 
essentially alike in all, and nearly all the distinctive characters are 
subject to intergradation. The spines are generally higher in the 
young, while the “ear-flap” is fully developed only in the adult.) 
(Aenis, scale ; wpa, opercle.) 
