342 VERTEBRATES : FISHES. 



2 j 4 . americamis, Putn., L. amcricanus, Storer, 



is from three to six inches long, head 

 small, tail forked, general color golden, 

 dark above. The Red-Fin, Hypsolcpis 

 cornutus. As:., L.cornutus, Storer, is from 



Shiner, P. atncricanus, 



Putnam. three to six inches long, fins and oper- 



cles margined with crimson, the male with numerous 

 tubercles on the head. It is often found with trout. 



The Beautiful Leuciscus, Dace, or Chivin, Scmotilus 

 argent ais, Putn., L. pulcJiellns, Storer, of the Eastern 

 States and New York, is from twelve to fourteen inches 

 long, back slightly arched, and the color brown. The 

 Black-headed Dace, L. atromaculatus, of New York, is 

 six to twelve inches long. It is known as the Lake Chub. 



CATOSTOMI, OR SUCKER FAMILY. This Family con- 

 tains soft-finned fishes which have a single dorsal, the 

 mouth beneath the snout, lips plaited, lobed, or caruncu- 

 lated, and suitable for sucking. It contains the well-known 

 Suckers, of which there are many species, and the Chub- 

 Suckers, of the ponds and streams of the United States. 

 Large numbers move together, and some of the former 

 attain the weight of ten pounds. 



CYPRINODONTID/E. This Family contains fishes whose 

 mouth is constructed as in the Cyprinidas, but with teeth 

 upon the jaws, and the dorsal is opposite the anal fin. 

 The Genera Fiinduhts and Hydrargyra are closely allied ; 

 but the latter has a more flattened head than the former, 

 and six branchial rays instead of five. The former in- 

 cludes the Ornamented Minnow, Mummachog, or Cobler, 

 F. pisailcntns, Cuv. & Val, of the brackish waters of the 

 coast of New England, and several fresh-water species. 

 The Cobler is extensively used for bait. 



ESOCIDJE, OR PIKE FAMILY. This Family comprises 

 soft-finned fishes which have the body long, one dorsal 

 generally opposite the anal, and a very large mouth 



