112 FISHES OF ILLINOIS 



Dr. Jordan says of this species that " it spawns early in spring, 

 and it ascends in great numbers all the running streams even the 

 very smallest. Later it retires to the deeper places in the creeks, 

 where it may be readily recognized by its quick motions and dusky 

 colors. Most of the specimens seen are comparatively small, but 

 occasionally an old male may be noticed in the spring with its entire 

 body rough and gray with tubercles, and with its vertical fins gaily 

 variegated with black and orange. Such individuals appear to have 

 exhausted their vitality and die quickly in confinement, and are 

 often found dead. Young individuals are active and hardy in the 

 aquarium, where they feed on confervse and diatoms." 



This minnow is unusually tenacious of life, being among the hardi- 

 est of the aquarium fishes and extremely persistent on the hook. 

 It is regarded by anglers as one of the best of live baits for black- 

 bass fishing. Males in breeding dress and females apparently near 

 spawning have been found by us from November 1 5 to December 1 5 

 in fall, and from May 1 to June 15 in spring. Breeding males often 

 have the head and almost the entire body tuberculate. According 

 to Dr. Reighard, an excavation is made by the male in sand or 

 gravel in advance of spawning. 



Genus CHROSOMUS Rafinesque 



Body moderately elongate; not much compressed; no barbel; jaws 

 normal; premaxillaries protractile; teeth 5-5 or 4-5, moderatelv hooked, 

 with well-marked grinding surface; alimentary canal twice length of body : 

 peritoneum black; dorsal rays 7 or 8; anal rays 8; scales small, 67 to 85 in 

 lateral series; lateral line imperfect or wanting; size small, not over 3 

 inches. Three species; New England to the Dakotas, chiefly northward. 



CHROSOMUS ERYTHROGASTER Rafinesque 



(RED-BELLIED DACE) 



Rafinesque. 1820, [chth. Oh., 47 (Luxilus), 48. 



G., VII, 247 (Leuciscus); J. & G., 153; M. V., S3; ]. & E., I. 209; V, 47; ]., 61 ; I\. 

 79; F. P., I. 6, 80; L., 14. 



The minute scales. 77 to 91 . in the lateral line, and the two longitudi- 

 nal stripes of dark color upon the sides, will readily distinguish the pres- 

 ent species from all other species of Cyprinida found within our range. 

 Length 2 to 3 inches; body oblong, moderately compressed, tapering 

 about equally each way from middle of body; depth 4.4 to 4.9 in length ; 

 depth of caudal peduncle 2.1 to 2.4 in its length. Color above brownish 

 olive, with a broad vertebral streak of dusky and dark spots forming an in- 

 distinct row on upper part of each side; sides marked with two black stripes 



