122 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY III. 



lish ill the wintiT and spring in the markets of Washinglon and Philadel- 

 phia, as well as in the markets of those cities in the ^\^ st which are sup- 

 plied by the fisheries of the Great Lakes. It is i»rol)ably ninch more 

 abundant in Lake Erie than M. aunolum is, and it has been Irecjuently 

 confounded with the latter species. I once obtained two specimens, 

 each of nearly twelve i)ounils weij;ht, in the Fox River in Wisconsin. 



In the Ohio llivei' and its tributaries, and in the rivers of the Southr 

 west generally, the var. duquesnil is the prevailing form. This variety 

 is more delicately colored than the other, the silvery lustre of the scales 

 is more strongly marked, and the red of the fins is rather iin)re vivid. 

 This form, too, is valued somewhat as a food-fish, although the flesh, 

 like that of all the Suckers, is comparatively coarse, tasteless, and full of 

 bones. The variety duquesncl is everywhere known by the curious ver- 

 naeuhir name of "Red Horse", a name possibly to be accounted for liy 

 the color of the fins and the form of the head. This variety also grows 

 to a large size. 



The variety lachryniale I only know from specimens obtained in Eto- 

 wah River, Georgia, in company with the variety duquesiiei. Nothing 

 distin(^tive was noticed in regard to its habits. 



The Red llorse i>refer rather deep, clear water, seldom ascending very 

 small streams, and then chietly in the spawning season — in May — at 

 which time they may be found in great abundance in any rapid of i* 

 ri\ er or a creek, or below a mill pond. They are generally caught by 

 nets, traps, or snares, but will frequently bite at a hook baited with a 

 worm. 



In the confinement of an aquarium, the Red IJorse are not very hardy. 

 Foul water kills them at once. 



SynouymH. — The earliest name given to a Red Horse is that of Cato- 

 stomus macrolepidotm Le Sueur. The specific name macroh-pidotns must 

 therefore l)e retained for this species. The specific name oneida, given 

 by DeKay to an individual from Oneida Lake, New York, doubtless 

 belongs here, as the \ar. uiacrokpidntiun is the only member of this 

 genus known to inhabit that i)art of New York, and there are no serious 

 discre|)ancies in the rather jioor description. 



Ptychostomuit robtistus Cope may possibly be diflerent ; but as its de- 

 scrii)er has failed to n(»t»' any distinctive characters w hieh I consider 

 likely to be permanent, 1 am compelled to refer it here. It is Irom Yad- 

 kin River iu North Carolina. A I'tychustumiis congestm is described by 

 Cope and Yarrow from Arizona. It is probably not Girard's si)ecies of 



