284 SEVENTH REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



27. Red Horse (Moxostoma anrcolum LcSneur). 



Catostomus aureolus DEK.AY, N. Y. Fauna, Fishes, 201, pi. 42 fig. 133, 1842. 

 Moxostoma anrculuni JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. 16, U. S. Nat. Mus., 140, 1883 ; BEAN, 



Fishes Penna., 30, 1893 ; JORDAN & EVERMANN, Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. Mus., I, 192, 



1896. 



The Red Horse has the additional names of Golden Red Horse, Golden Sucker, 

 Mullet, Golden Mullet, and Lake Mullet. It inhabits the Great Lakes and the 

 region northward, also the Ohio Valley. It is common in Lake Erie, but not in 

 Ohio. 



This species grows to a length of 18 inches and is one of the handsomest of the 

 suckers. Prof. Forbes records it from lakes of Northern Illinois, also abundantly in 

 the central part of that State. 



Dr. Evermann, in collecting fishes of the Lake Ontario region, secured it at the 

 following localities: Lake Ontario, 4 miles off Nine Mile Point, N. Y., June 12, 1893 ; 

 Lake Shore, 3 miles west of Oswego, July 17, 1894; mouth Salmon River, July 25, 

 1894; Long Pond, Charlotte, N. Y., Aug. 17, 1894; Sandy Creek, North Hamlin, 

 N. Y., August 20, 1894. 



Dr. Meek identified a single specimen of the so-called Common Red Horse of 

 Cayuga Lake with Moxostoma macrolcpidotnni, and stated, on the authority of Mr. 

 Kipp, that it is common at the northern end. Jordan & Evermann, however, do 

 not extend the range of macrolcpidotnni so far north, and it is probable that the 

 common Moxostoma of Cayuga Lake is M. aurcolum. 



DeKay records the species as very common in Lake Erie. In August and Sep- 

 tember he observed them to be full of worms. In his New York Fauna, Fishes, 

 p. 198, he describes a sucker or mullet under the name Oneida Sucker. This he 

 stated is common in Oneida Lake. The species is considered identical with Moxos- 

 toma aurcolum. His description shows a very close agreement with that of aureoliun. 



The food of the Red Horse consists chiefly of mollusks and insects. It is not a 

 choice food fish. 



Eugene Smith records this form as occurring in the vicinity of New York City. 

 Mention has already been made of the doubt concerning the northern limits of the 

 range of macrolcpidotum ; but for the sake of comparison the brief description of 

 macrolcpidotum published by Jordan & Evermann is given herewith. 



Head moderate, rather stout, its length four and three-fifths in body ; eye one 

 and two-thirds in snout ; dorsal fin with its free edge concave; scales usually with 

 dusky shade at base ; lower fins pale. Streams about Chesapeake and Delaware 



