296 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



notched. Rayed dorsal rounded, inserted nearly midway between 

 origin of pectoral and base of caudal. Spinous anal inserted 

 before origin of rayed dorsal, graduated to third spine, which is 

 longest. Rayed anal similar to rayed dorsal. Caudal emarginate, 

 lobes rounded. Pectoral long, reaching origin of anal, pointed, 

 and second branched ray longest. Ventral inserted just behind 

 origin of first dorsal spine, reaching vent which is a short dis- 

 tance in front of anal, and spine a trifle more than half way to 

 origin of anal. Color greenish or olive above with bluish tints, 

 sides blotched and spotted with orange. Opercular flap black, its 

 lower posterior margin scarlet. Side of head with 5 horizontal 

 bright blue wavy stripes. Upper fins wath bluish spotted with 

 orange. Lower fins and belly orange. Length 4j4 inches. Cross- 

 wicks Creek, near Trenton. 



Prevailing color of the adult olivaceous-brown in life becoming 

 golden, especially on chest and side of belly, and also lower sur- 

 face of head. Head with reticulating lines all over of sky-blue- 

 green, mostly from eye, and also extending on preorbital region 

 and maxillary. Side and back with similar lines darker above 

 and not extending on anal region. Opercle black with creamy- 

 white margin, except posteriorly, where it is bright red. Spinous 

 dorsal grayish-dusky blotched with dusky, these blotches also 

 continued on soft dorsal, which is with deep dusky-golden distally 

 and its margin dull leaden-bluish. Caudal similar, also anal, but 

 with more golden and margin paler blue. Ventral spine golden- 

 dusky or otherwise golden with tips of rays plumbeous. Un- 

 paired vertical fins also with more greenish. Pectoral dark 

 golden. Inside of gill-opening pearl-colored. Iris bronzed-red- 

 di'sh in some lights, otherwise brown. 



Abundant in all our fresh-water streams and one of our most 

 brilliant and beautiful fishes. Sometimes they are found in 

 schools of 20 or 30, usually fewer. They like still waters, often 

 in the submerged grass, and biting at a hook baited with an 

 earth-worm, grasshopper or helgramite. Many examples from 

 New Jersey, from Camden County, Crosswicks Creek near 

 Trenton, the Rancocas Creek near Medford, and Beesley's Point. 



Lepomis gibbosus Abbott, Nat. Rambles, 1885, p. 477. 



