100 MOW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



length of head, aiid nearly twice diameter of eye; mouth large 

 and placed low, the maxilla reaching to below front of eye, 

 the lower jaw shorter than upper; dorsal origin slightly nearer 

 to root of caudal than to tip of snout, its base one half as long 

 as the head and two thirds as long as its longest ray; ventral 

 under front part of dorsal, its length equal to dorsal base; 

 anal origin under 24th scale of lateral line, longest anal ray 

 about one seventh of total to caudal base, pectoral two thirds 

 as long as head, and reaching to below 13th scale of lateral 

 line; caudal moderately forked. D. iii, 7; A. iii, 6. Scales 

 G-40 to 45-5. Color bluish olive, the head darker; green and 

 coppery reflections on the sides. Fins pale orange, pinkish in 

 spring; lower parts white. Breeding males have the top of 

 head swollen into a crest and covered with coarse tubercles, 

 from which arises the name horned chub; they have also some- 

 times a red spot on each side of head. The young have a broad 

 dark median band and a dusky spot at the base of the tail fin. 



Kafinesque states that the fish is known as Indian chub, red- 

 tail and shiner. Other names in eastern localities are nigger 

 chub, river chub, jerker, horned dace and horny-head. 



The species ranges from Pennsylvania westward to Dakota 

 and south to Alabama. In Pennsylvania it is common in the 

 Susquehanna and the Ohio basin, but absent from the Dela- 

 ware. Dr Meek collected a few specimens at Montezuma N. Y. 

 and found none in any of the other localities investigated. 

 Eugene Smith refers to this species two specimens of fish from 

 the Passaic river. The flesh of his fish appeared to be very 

 soft. 



The horned chub abounds in large rivers and is rarely seen in 

 small brooks. This minnow grows to a length of 10 inches and 

 is good for food. As a bait for the black bass the young horned 

 chub, because of its endurance on a hook, can not be excelled. 



Genus COVESIUS Jordan 



Body elongate; head normal, not depressed, the profile con- 

 vex; mouth terminal, normal, a well developed barbel on the 

 anterior side of maxillary, just above its tip. Teeth 2, 4-4, 2, 



