PIMEPHALES FATHEADS 119 



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 coeffi- 

 cient of 2.08 for those with a mud bottom ; and we have found it with 

 less than the average preference of minnows for a rapidly moving 

 stream (coefficient, .73; Stillwater, 1.37). 



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

 tary structures correspond to this fact, the intestine being from 

 two to three times the length of the head and body, and the pharyn- 

 geal teeth not hooked but with well-developed grinding surface. 

 Our only knowledge of its food is derived from a study of four speci- 

 mens from muddy streams in northern and central Illinois. The in- 

 testines of these were largely filled with mud containing some algas 

 and a considerable number 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 depositing their eggs, they defend them 

 bravely against all intruders. The species is not a good live bait, 

 although often sold as such. 



*fe' 



PIMEPHALES NOTATUS (Rafinesque) 

 (blunt-nosed minnow) 



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



G., VII, 182 (Hyborhynchus) ; T- & G., 150 (Hyborhynchus) ; M. V., 54; T- & E., I, 

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

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



Length 2 to ih inches; body elongate, little 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 i-ule 

 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 lines crossing dorsal and caudal; breed- 



