282 Bulletin ^7, United States National Museum. 



elongate in the young, in the adult short, compressed, with the anterior 

 dorsal region much swollen and gibbous. Head rather heavy, compressed, 

 rounded between the eyes, the snout bluntish. Mouth moderate, nearly 

 horizontal, the jaws nearly equal, the lower somewhat included. Eye 

 moderate; maxillary scarcely reaching front of eye, the preniaxillaries 

 below the level of eye. Scales always deeper than long on the sides, becom- 

 ing extremely deep in the adult. Lateral line decurved. Dorsal moderate, 

 inserted directly over ventrals in young, thrown somewhat backward in 

 adult by the growth of the nuchal region. Pectorals barely or not reach- 

 ing ventrals, the latter about to vent. Region in front of dorsal typically 

 with about 23 scales, the number ranging from 15 to 40. Coloration dark 

 steel-blue aV)Ove ; the scales with dusky edges, the bases also dusky; a 

 gilt line along the back and one along each side, these distinct only when 

 the tish is in the water; belly and lower part of the sides silvery, bright 

 rosy in spring males; dorsal fin somewhat dusky; other fins plain; the 

 lower fins all rosy in spring males ; head dark above ; a dark shade behind 

 scapula ; lower jaw and region in front of dorsal to tip of snout covered 

 with small tubercles in spring males ; female and young fishes are plain 

 olivaceous above and silvery below. Length 5 to 8 inches. Entire region 

 east of the Rocky Mountains excepting the South Atlantic States and 

 Texas ; almost everywhere the most abundant fish in small streams. Its 

 variations are great, some of them appearing like distinct species, {cor- 

 nutus, horned.) 



Cyprinus comutnn, Mitchill, Amer. Monthly Mag. Crit. Review, i, July, 1817, 289, Wallkill 



River, New York ; preliminary notice ; Mitchill, I. c, ii, February, 1818, 324, detailed 



description. 

 Cyprimts megalops, Rafinesque, Amer. Monthly Mag. and Crit. Review, i, December, 1817, 121, 



Hudson River, above the Falls. 

 Cyprinus tiielannrns, Rafinesque, I.e., 121, Hudson River, above the Falls. 

 Luxibis chriisoccphahta, Rafinesque, I. c, 47, 1820, Ohio River. 

 1 Lujeihis inlen-uptns, * Rafinesque, I. c, 49, Ohio River ; may be N. rnhrifronii. 

 Rutilns plargyriis, Rafinesque, Ichth. Oh., 50, 1820, Ohio River. 



f Ituliltis compressiis, j Rafinesque, 1. c, 51, Monongahela River, etc.; may be N. pliologeids. 

 Leiiciscus vitlahts, De Kay, N. Y. Fauna: Fishes, 212, 1842, Chittenonda Creek, tributary of 



Mohawk River. 

 Argyrens ruhripimiU, IIeckel, Russeggers Reisen, 1843, 1040. 

 Lettcisciis fpirUngulus, CuviEU & Valenciennes, xvii, 321, 1844, New Jersey; New Harmony, 



Indiana. (Coll. Le Sueur.) 

 Leuciscus ohesKs,STORER, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., July, 1845, 48, Florence, Alabama. (Coll. 



C. A. Hentz.) 



*"42nd species. Yellow Shiner, Liucihts interruplns, liuxile jimnCitre: Diameter one-sixth of 

 total length ; yellowish olivaceous above, silvery beneath, rufous brown above the head, a 

 rufous line from tlio dorsal to the tail, 2 straight and separated half lateral lines, the anterior 

 one above the posterior ; pectoral fins reaching the abdominal. Dorsal with 10 and anal with 9 

 rays. A small sjiecies, only 3 inches long, called Yellow Chub or Shiner. Seen in the Ohio. 

 Sides o]>a<)ue, witli violet shades. Iris silvery, mouth large, lips very apparent. Fins yellowish, 

 pectorals with IC rays, caudals with 24." — Rafinesque. 



f" 47th species, Baiting Fallfish, Unlilus compresms, Rutilo appat: Diameter one-seventh of 

 total length ; silvery, back fulvous, sides compressed, lateral line straight, raised upwards at the 

 base, snout rounded, mouth hardly diagonal, nearly horizontal. Dorsal and anal fins witli 9 

 rays. A small fish from 2 to 4 inches long, called Fallfish, Bait fish, Minny, etc. It is found in 

 the Allegheny Mountains, in the waters of the Monongahela, Kanawha, and even in the 

 I'dtomac. The name of Fallfish arises from its being often fouixl near falls and ripples. Body 

 more compressed than in the other species ; as much so as in the genus Minnilus. Scales large; 

 lips a little fleshy ; iris silvery gilt ; fins transparent ; the pectoral with 14 rays, and not reach- 

 ing the abdominal ; tail with 32 rays." — Jiafinesque. 



