78 FISHES OF ILLINOIS 



quite so wide as in the last species, the hps somewhat thicker, weakly plicate, 

 the halves of lower meeting at a rather sharp angle; tip of lower Up scarcely 

 in advance of nostrils; interorbital space 2.2 to 2.5 in head; eye larger than 

 in other species of Carpiodes, 3.9 to 4.6 in head, usually but little more than 4. 

 Dorsal rays 24 to 25, the first rays rather osseous at base, but not so robust as 

 in carpio, and as a rule much elongated, sometimes exceeding in length the 

 base of the fin. Scales large, 6-7, 35-37, 6, usually 35 or 36, rather loosely 

 imbricated; lateral line complete, nearly straight. 

 Males with snout tuberculate in spring. 



Ohio Valley and westward; generally common. Common 

 in our collections, seeming to prefer the shallow waters of the 

 smaller streams, where the young are often found in large num- 

 bers; adults taken sparingly in the Illinois and Rock rivers. 



Represented in 102 of our collections, more than half of 

 which are from creeks. We have found it less frequent in the 

 larger than in the smaller rivers, and still less so in lakes and 

 ponds. The size is small and the species is of little value as 

 food. It is abundantly distributed throughout central Illinois, 

 but has occurred less commonly in our southern Illinois collec- 

 tions, and is absent from the most of those made in the extreme 

 northern part of the state. It apparently avoids in great 

 measure the lower Illinoisan glaciation, having been taken but 

 five times by us within that area. 



CARPIODES VELIFER (Eafinesque) 

 quillback; silver carp 



(Pl., p. 74; Uap XIV) 



Raflnesque, 1820, Ichth. Oh., 56 (Catostomus). 



J. & G., 118 (tumidus), 119 (cyprinus); M. V., 45 (Ictiobus); J. & E., I, 167; N., 49 

 (Ichthyobus) ; J., 65; F., 81 (Ictiobus cyprinus, part); L., 12. 



Body ovate, compressed, back much arched in adults; ventral line 

 Imost straight; depth 2.7 to 3 in length. Size small, seldom exceeding 12 

 inches. ' Color light olive above, sides silvery, fins pale. Head moderate, 

 its length 3.6 to 4, depth 4.3 to 5.2, width 6 to 6.7 in length of body; snout 

 long, bluntly pointed, as in last species, 2.9 to 3.5 in head, usually less than 

 3.2; nostrils well back, distance from anterior opening to end of snout greater 

 than diameter of eye; mouth rather narrow, slightly oblique, tip of lower 

 lip far in advance of nostrils; lips weakly pHcate, rather thick, the lower 

 halves meeting in a sharp angle; interorbital space 2.3 to 2.5 in head; eye 

 small, 4.8 to 5.5 in head. Dorsal rays 27 to 30, usually 27, the anterior 

 rays slender and elongate, sometimes longer than base of fin. Scales 7, 

 39-40,6; lateral line complete, usually somewhat flexuose. 



