200 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 



THE PALE SUCKER. 



CATOSTOMUS PALL1DDS. 

 PLATE XXXIII. FIG. 104. 



Characteristics. Sides pale. The two portions of the air-bladder united by a wide aperture. 

 Caudal fin furcate. Length 9-10 inches. 



Description. Body rounded, subquarlrate, being quite depressed on the back anterior to the 

 dorsal fin, and the sides are nearly vertical. Scales with concentric and radiating impressions, 

 round, and festooned on the exposed margins ; small on the back and shoulders, becoming 

 gradually larger to the tail. Lateral line nearly medial, very slightly curved. Eyes large, 

 somewhat nearer the edge of the branchial aperture than to the end of the snout. A series 

 of mucous pores running over each eye, and terminating above the nostril ; another from near 

 the extremity of the snout, proceeds under the eye, then rising closely behind it, runs back- 

 ward near the upper angle of the gill opening, thence to the nape, which it crosses to meet a 

 similar series on the other side. Upper surface of the head and snout smooth, with the slight 

 inequalities common to the genus, and which are scarcely obvious in the living specimens. 



The dorsal fin scarcely longer than high, slightly excavated above ; its first ray short and 

 simple ; the first articulated ray longest : this fin commences equidistant between the snout 

 and the base of the caudal fin. Pectorals poinled, equal in length to the anal. Ventrals 

 short, and placed under the posterior part of the dorsal. Anal fin long, subacute, reaching 

 to the base of the caudal fin. Caudal furcate. Air-bladder divided into two separate portions ; 

 the posterior longest, elliptical, with its posterior extremity attenuated behind ; anterior long 

 and subcordate, less in diameter than the posterior portion. 



Color, of the head dark greenish, with metallic reflections on the cheeks. Irides golden. 

 Back light bluish, becoming mixed with yellow and paler on the sides. Abdomen white. 

 Dorsal and caudal dark brown mixed with yellow. Anal with a faint tinge of yellow. Pec- 

 torals and ventrals orange. 



Length, 9'0. Depth, 1"8. 



Fin rays, D. 13 ; P. 16; V. 9 ; A. 8 ; C. 18 f. 



The Pale Sucker is a common species, and is taken about the beginning of April. It is 

 abundant near Peekskill. I was at first disposed to arrange it with the preceding, with which 

 it agrees in many particulars. Its uniformly pale appearance, forked tail, and the form of its 

 air-bladder, have induced me to treat it as distinct, although closely allied to that species. 



