78 FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



scales 42 in longitudinal series, 11 in transverse series. Color: silvery, dusky above, whitish 

 below; dorsal and caudal membranes blackish, other fins pale; "inferior fins all orange" (Cope). 

 {collapsum, flattened sidewise.) 



This species is found only in the lowland streams in North Carolina. Copy's 

 type specimens were only a foot long, but he saw specimens from Catawba 

 River of 3 and 4 pounds weight. He reported it as immensely numerous, and as 

 caught in weir traps in spring and autumn; as a food fish it is inferior to Mox- 

 ostoma papillosum, "but it is not at all to be rejected". 



This appears to be the species of which numerous specimens were observed 

 by the writer at the seining beaches in Roanoke River near Plymouth in April, 

 1892. The largest examples seen were 10 inches long. From Moxostoma 

 crassilahre, which was abundant at the same time and place, it was easily 

 distinguishable by the absence of dark spots at the bases of scales, by the 

 straight margin of the dorsal fin, etc. This fish is possibly identical with 

 Moxostoma anisurum (Rafinesque) from the Ohio valley and Great Lakes. 



48. MOXOSTOMA PIDIENSE (Cope). 

 Sucker. 



Ptychostomus pidiensis Cope, 18706, 471; Yadkin River. 

 Moxostoma pidiense, Jordan & Evermann, 1896, 191. 



Diagnosis.— Form cylindric, little compressed; head long, contained 4.5 times in total 

 length; muzzle truncate; eye small; dorsal rays 12. Color: light brownish yellow, fins light 

 red. (pidiense, inhabiting the Pedee.) 



This species is named after the Pedee River, of which the Yadkin is a tribu- 

 tary, and is known only from that stream. It is a small, rare species (10 inches 

 long), and is known only from Cope's description of a few specimens he 

 obtained from traps. 



49, MOXOSTOMA COREGONUS (Cope). 

 "Blue Mullet". 



PtychoslomuB coregonus Cope, 18706, 472; Catawba and Yadkin rivers. 

 Moxostoma coregonus, Jordan & Evermann, 1896, 191. 



Diagnosis.— Body fusiform, back arched; head very small, .20 total length; muzzle 

 regularly conic, projecting far beyond mouth; mouth very small, but little protractile; eye 

 large, .25 to .33 length of head; dorsal rays 14. Color: silvery, scales shaded with leaden 

 above and with black pigment at their bases, giving a dusky hue to whole; belly and inferior 

 fins pure white, {coregonus, the white-fish, in allusion to the shape.) 



Cope found this fish very abundant in Catawba and Yadkin rivers, never 

 exceeding a foot in length; it was caught with Moxostoma collapsum and pidiense 

 and used for food, but it was the least valued of all the species. At Morganton 

 it was known as the "blue mullet". The species does not appear to have been 

 recorded since Cope's time, although it is a strongly marked fish, "easily distin- 

 guishable by its very small head, with conic muzzle, elevated arched back, minute 

 inferior mouth, combined with small size". 



