192 CONTKIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICnTHYOLOGY III. 



1855. Since then it has been generally- received by authors under the 

 same name and with the same limits. It was first briefly outlined by 

 Ratiuesque in 1820 under the name of Carpiodes^ then afterwards by 

 Valenciennes defined more fully under the name of Sclerognathiis. Both 

 Carpiodes and Sclerognathus hnving the same typical species {Catostomus 

 cyprlnus Le Sueur), the older and preferable name, Carpiodes, is the one 

 to be adopted. 



The recognition of species in this genus is a matter of extreme diffi- 

 culty, from their great resemblance to each other in color, size, form, 

 and general appearance. Uur knowledge of the species thus far has 

 been almost entirely due to the labors of Professor Cope (A Partial Syn- 

 opsis of the Fishes of North Carolina", Proc. Am. Philos. Soc. Phila. 

 1870). I have myself examined specimens agreeing with each of Pro- 

 fessor Cope's descriptions, and, with two exception {Carpiodes selene and 

 Carpiodes grayl), I am disposed to admit all his species. It is true, how- 

 ever, that in every large collection of Carpiodes there are specimens 

 disagreeing more or less from the typical forms of each species, and 

 which should, in consistency, be described as distinct species, or else 

 the sj)ecies which they api^ear to connect should be united. I have not, 

 however, examined a sufficiently full series of Carpiodes to be pre- 

 pared to accept either of these alternatives. I have, therefore, taken 

 Professor Coi)e's analysis of the species, and added to it such addi- 

 tional features as I have been able to observe, and I give the whole as 

 our best knowledge at present on the subject, leaving for future study 

 the consideration of the degree of relationship existing between cyprlnus, 

 vcl'ifer, and thompsoni. The other four species, carpio, hison, cutisanse- 

 rimis, and diffortnis, seem to be manifestly distinct, unless difformis be 

 a monstrous form of cutisanserinus. 



Species of this genus are found in all the fresh waters of the United 

 States cast of the Eocky Mountains. They seldom ascend the small 

 streams, and are taken by means of nets from the larger rivers and 

 lakes. From their resemblance in form to the European Carp {Ci/primis 

 carpio), they are popularly known as "Carp". This resemblance has 

 suggested the name of the genus and of two of its species. As food- 

 fishes they are rather indifierent, the flesh being rather coarse and flavor- 

 less and full of small bones. The geographical distribution of the species 

 has been little studied. C. cyprlnus is the common species east of the 

 Alleghanies, and, if " C damalis^^ and " C tumidus''^ be the same, in 

 the Upper Missouri region and the Rio Grande also. C. thompsoni is the 



