4 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [Jan., 



The lowland region above tide has comparatively few forms charac- 

 teristic. They are Notropis chalybceus, Erimyzon, Ameiurus natalis 

 prosthistius, Esox, Umbra, Gambusia, Aphredoderus, Enneacanthus, 

 Mesogonistius and Boleichthys. Though Acantharchus pomotis has 

 not yet been obtained in Delaware, it may occur in this region. An 

 interesting condition is presented along the basin of Laurel Creek 

 above Laurel, where there is still a cypress swamp of moderate extent. 

 The water in these fresh lowland streams is mostly dark, though less 

 deeply stained than the costal or pine-woods streams in New Jersey. 

 The fishes are also less jdarkly colored, though locally some are quite 

 smutty. But little sphagnum has been noted, and I have not seen 

 any submerged beds. Palcemonetes vulgaris is everywhere the most 

 abundant crustacean. Rana clamata, R. pipiens and R. palustris are 

 abundant amphibians, and Natrix, Kinosternon, Sternothcerus and 

 Chrysemys the most common reptiles I met with along the streams. 



The upland region, comprised mainly in the bed of Christiana Creek, 

 in the upper part of New Castle County, and therefore of compara- 

 tively small area, agrees largely with the rest of its extent in the 

 adjoining portions of Chester and Delaware Counties in Pennsylvania. 

 Many of these streams are quite rocky. Hybognathus, Pimephales, 

 Semotilus, Abramis, Notropis, Rhinichthys, Catostomus commersonnii, 

 Erimyzon, Ameiurus nebulosus, SchUbeodes, Esox, Fundidus diaphanus, 

 Lepomis, Eupomotis, Boleosoma and Perca are characteristic. I have 

 not found Rhinichthys cataractce, Exoglossum maxillingua, Catostomus 

 nigricans or Coitus gracilis within the limits of the State, though they 

 all occur in the Brandywine basin just over the Pennsylvania line. 



Certain catodromous fishes, like the eels, and the anadromous 

 lampreys and clupeoids may be met with in many fresh waters, 

 though their true homes are in the sea. Fresh-water forms of wide 

 distribution, like Abramis, Esox, Umbra, Eupomotis and Pcrca, are 

 interesting, as they often range down close to the sea. 



The present account is offered, although very little has yet been 

 published on this interesting fish-fauna, and though necessarily pre- 

 liminary, in the hope that it will be of use in the study of geographical 

 distribution. The few scattered records or notes relating to the fishes 

 of this State which have been published are included as foot-notes. 

 For these reasons I have visited a number of localities, at the same 

 time making collections and studies. All such materials obtained 

 have been placed in the collections of The Acadenry of Natural Sciences 

 of Philadelphia. I am especially indebted to Mr. A. D. Poole, Presi- 

 dent of the Delaware Game Protective Association, for the grant of a 



