212 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 



THE SILVERY DACE. 



Leuciscus argenteus. 

 Leuciscus argenteus, The Silvery Leuciscus. Stoker, Massachusetts Report, p. 90. 



Characteristics . 



Description. Body elongate, but very slightly arched over the neck and at the dorsal fin. 

 Head without scales. On the body, nine moderate sized scales in an oblique line from the 

 origin of the dorsal to the lateral line, and four beneath. The lateral line commences on the 

 sides of the snout, and passing back under the eyes, and up over the posterior angles of the 

 gill-covers, curved downward until opposite the middle of the pectorals, and thence straight. 

 Head flattened above ; distance between the eyes - 5 ; their diameters 0*25. The posterior 

 nostril oblique and largest. Jaws toothless ; upper jaw longest. The dorsal fin arises on the 

 anterior half of the body, higher than long; the first half as high as the second. Pectorals 

 elongated, as high as the dorsal. Ventrals directly beneath the dorsal. Anal 0*25 behind 

 the ventrals ; its length to its height as two to three. Caudal deeply forked. 



Color. General color silvery ; rather darker on the back, head above bluish. Opercle 

 cupreous ; exterior to the opercle, a narrow dark band encircles the head from the base of the 

 pectorals, and separating the head from the body. Preopercle inclining to flesh color. Dorsal 

 fin dark colored ; the others lighter. 



Length, 6-0. 



Fin rays, D. 9 ; P. 16 ; V. 8 ; A. 9 ; C. 20. 



I am indebted to Dr. Storer for the description of this Dace, from the adjoining State of 

 Massachusetts. 



THE BANDED DACE. 



Leuciscus vittatus. 

 PLATE XXXIV. FIG. 108. — (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Characteristics. Olive-green, with a golden dorsal stripe ; silvery beneath, tinged with flesh- 

 color. Length two to four inches. 



Description. Body subcylindrical, tapering, subcompressed. Scales moderate, with mem- 

 branous margins. Lateral line descends with a curve, and rises under the posterior part of 

 the dorsal fin to the middle of the body. Head rather depressed, scaleless, with several 

 series of mucous pores. Eyes large. Mouth small, terminal, toothless ; a few teeth in the 

 pharynx. Three branchial rays. Air-bladder double ; the anterior short, cylindrical ; the 

 posterior longer, pointed behind. Dorsal fin quadrate, higher than long ; its first ray simple, 

 the second longest ; its articulated ray quadrifid. Pectorals pointed, subfalcate, placed very 



