158 XORTHERxX FISHES 



manj' of the central and northern lakes of Minnesota, where it moves 

 and feeds in large schools at the surface of open water. Enormous 

 schools of the tiny fry may often be seen on the surface in the center of 

 a lake and are often mistaken for fr\' of game fishes or tuUibee. 



ROSYFACE SHINER 



Notropis Q-uhellus (Agassiz) 



This minnow is characterized by a rosy tinge on the top and sides 

 of the head and at the base of the dorsal fin. It has a dusky stripe on the 

 back and a dark dotted line at the base of the anal fin. There are about 

 33 to 39 scales in the lateral line. The teeth are 2, 4 — 4, 2. 



The rosyface shiner ranges from North Dakota to southern Ontario 

 and southward to Virginia, the Ohio Valley, and Missouri. It is common 

 over most of Minnesota. Cox (1897) reported it as rather common in 

 various streams and lakes in the Upper Mississippi and as present in 

 the Des Moines River at Windom. Evermann and Latimer (1910) 

 erroneously reported this species from Lake of the Woods. Their speci- 

 mens on re-examination by Hubbs (1945) proved to be Notropis 

 atherinoides atherinoides. Greene (1935) reported it as well distributed 

 over most of Wisconsin but absent from the Lake Superior drainage. 



According to Hubbs and Cooper (1936) this species spawns in mid- 

 stream and not on the bottom. 



NORTHERN REDFIN SHINER (Blueheaded Minnow) 

 Notropis umbratilis cyanocephalus (Copeland) 



During the spawning season the northern redfin shiner (Figure 26B) 

 is very striking, with its steel-blue back and bright red fins and belly. It 

 is deep-bodied, with a dark spot near the front of the dorsal fin. There 

 are about 50 scales in the lateral line. The teeth are 2, 4 — 4, 2. This 

 species reaches a length of 3 1/2 inches. 



In life the northern redfin shiner is a perfect gem of a minnow, for 

 both its coloration and its perfect form. The breeding males are highly, 

 but delicately, colored. All their fins, including the caudal, are red at 

 the base, shading to rose pink toward the distal two-thirds; the top of 

 the head, back to the dorsal fin, is a deep, cerulean blue. The narrow, 

 black vertebral line is very prominent, but the broader lateral stripe is 

 much paler. These colors, except in the vertebral line, quickly fade out 

 in formalin. 



The northern redfin shiner ranges from Minnesota through southern 

 Ontario to New York and southward to Kentuckj^ and Iowa. It prob- 

 ably is one of the most common minnows in Minnesota. It is common 

 in the Cannon River and other clear streams in the southern half of 

 Minnesota. It was reported as common in the Rapid River of the Red 

 Minnesota. Evermann and Latimer (1910) erroneously reported this 



