PIMEPHALES — FATHEADS 119 



muddy parts of a short stream near Warsaw, in Hamilton county, 

 running down from the bluffs to the Mississippi River, where it 

 was associated with Cliola vigilax, a species of somewhat similar 

 distribution. 



Its tolerance of muddy waters is shown by our frequency 

 coefficient of 2.08 for those with a mud bottom; and we have 

 found it with less than the average preference of minnows for a 

 rapidl}^ moving stream (coefficient, .73; still water, 1.37). 



It belongs to the mud-eating group of minnows, and its 

 alimentary structures correspond to this fact, the intestine being 

 from two to three times the length of the head and body, and the 

 pharyngeal teeth not hooked but with well-developed grinding 

 surface. Our onl}^ knowledge of its food is derived from a study 

 of four specimens from mudd}'' streams in northern and central 

 Illinois. The intestines of these were largely filled with mud 

 containing some algae and a considerable nimiber of insects, 

 partly of terrestrial species and partly aquatic larvae of Diptera. 



Females greatly distended with eggs, and males in full 

 breeding color, have been taken by our collectors in May and 

 June. The snout of the breeding male bears three rows of very 

 large tubercles, one on a level with the nostrils and the others 

 between this and the upper lip. Dr Kirtland reports that these 

 fishes make shallow excavations in the breeding season under 

 stones and the ends of logs in still water, and that, after deposit- 

 ing their eggs, they defend them bravel^^ against all intruders. 

 The species is not a good live bait, although often sold as such. 



PIMEPHALES NOTATUS (Eafinesque) 



BLUNT-NOSED MINNOW 

 (INlAP XXVIH) 



Rafinesque, 1820, Ichth. Oh., 47 (Minnilus). 



G., VII, 182 (Hyborhynchus): J. & G., 159 (Hyborhynchus) ; M. V., 54; J. & B., I, 

 218; N., 45 (Hyborhynchus); J., 55 (Hyborhynchus); F. F., I. 6, 79 (Hyborhyn- 

 chus); P., 78; L,., 14. 



Length 2 to 3}4 inches; body elongate, httle compressed, the back 

 broad and rather flat; depth 4.3 to 4.8 in length; caudal peduncle rather 

 slender, longer than head, its depth 2.1 to 2.6 in its length, as a rule greater 

 than 2.3. Color pale olivaceous above, all the scales of upper part of body 

 with dark edgings prominent; sides a dull silvery bluish, under which is a 

 plumbeous lateral stripe, extending across opercle and through eye to end 

 of snout; no dark vertebral streak; a prominent dark spot at base of caudal; 

 belly whitish ; dorsal fin with a dark blotch in front on first 3 rays, a little less 

 than half way up from base of fin; other fins plain, except for faint dusky 



