ELASSOMID^ THE PIGMY SUNFISHES 231 



the only one recognizable being a minnow (Cypnnidce). Insects 

 formed the major part of the food, all of them of aquatic species 

 except a few gnats, accidental in the water. Nearly half of the food 

 consisted of larvae of gnat-like insects (Chironomus and Corethra) , and 

 the remainder was mostly larvas of May-flies, water-bugs, and larvas 

 of aquatic beetles, together with a few amphipod and isopod crusta- 

 ceans. One of these fish had eaten a water-worm (Lumbriculus) 

 allied to the earthworms, and Entomostraca had been taken by a few. 

 A comparison of the food of specimens of various ages, beginning 

 with those in which the vent was just in front of the ventral fins and 

 ending with those in which it had moved far forward on the throat, 

 gave no hint of the reasons for this extraordinary step in develop- 

 ment, these fishes all having eaten substantially the same food. 



Dr. Abbott says that the pirate-perch builds a nest which is 

 guarded by both parents, who likewise protect the young until they 

 are about a third of an inch long. The species spawned in the hatch- 

 ery troughs at Meredosia May 1, 1899, and males running with milt 

 were taken in Meredosia Bay on May 23 . 



Family ELASSOMID^ 



(the pigmy sunfishes) 



Body oblong, compressed, covered with large cycloid scales; head 

 scaly; lateral line obsolete; skeleton osseous; anterior vertebrae simple, 

 ventrals thoracic, I, 5; dorsal fin single, with 4 or S spines; anal with 

 3 "spines; caudal rounded; no mesocoracoid; gill-membranes broadly 

 united, free from isthmus; branchiostegals 5; pseudobranchiae small, 

 glandular, covered by skin; gill-rakers tubercle-like; preopercles, preor- 

 bitals, and opercles with edges entire; mouth terminal; upper jaw pro- 

 tractile; each jaw with strong conical teeth, in few series; vomer with a 

 few weak teeth; palatines toothless; no pyloric caeca; vent normally 

 placed; air-bladder without duct, so far as known. 



Very small fishes, inhabiting the swamps of the southern United 

 States. A single genus, with 2 species. The Elassomidce differ from 

 the Centrarchidm chiefly in their small size. -Cycloid scales, while not 

 normal to CentrarchidcE, are found in some forms. 



Genus ELASSOMA Jordan 

 (pigmy sunfishes) 

 Characters of the genus included above. 



