92 



FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



dorsal fin rather nearer snout than base of caudal, ov^er ventrals, rays 8; anal rays 8; caudal 

 deeply forked. Color: j)ale green above, the scales with dark edges; a silvery lateral band, 

 with black punctulations ending in a distinct roundish black spot at base of caudal, (hud- 

 sonins, pertaining to Hudson River; snhulamis, pertaining to Saluda River.) 



Fig. 27. Spawn-eater; Shiner. Notropis htulsonius saludanus. 



Notropis hudsonius is a widely distributed and highly variable minnow. It 

 ranges from New York through the Great Lakes, to the Dakotas, and thence to 

 Georgia and the Carolinas. The southern form, variety sabidanus, embraces 

 most of the North Carolina specimens. The fish has been found in Cape Fear, 

 Yadkin, Catawba, Neuse, and Pasquotank rivers, but is not common in any of 

 them; specimens have recently been examined from a tributary of Little Tenn- 

 essee River in Macon County which were forwarded for identification by Mr. D. 

 P. Cabe, of Otto. The variety attains a length of 4 inches. 



68. NOTROPIS NIVEUS (Cope). 

 "Shiner"; Snowy Minnow. 



Hybopsis niveui Cope, 18706, 460; upper Catawba River, North Carolina. 



Nolropia niveus, Jordan, 18896, 125, 129, 132, 134, 138; Tar, Neuse, Cape Fear, Yadkin, and Catawba rivers. 



Smith, 1893a, 194; Albemarle Sound. Evermann & Cox, 1896, 305; Neuse River near Raleigh. Jordan 



& Evermann. 1896, 277. 



Diagnosis. — Body regularly fusiform, dorsal region more arched than ventral, depth .2 

 total length without caudal; head conic, its length contained 4.5 times in total body length; 

 muzzle obtuse, mouth nearly terminal, slightly oblique, lower jaw included, maxilla extending 

 to opposite anterior rim of orbit; eye equal to snout, contained 3 to 3.5 times in length of head; 

 scales, 35 to 40 in lengthwise series, 9 in crosswise series, 15 or 16 before dorsal fin; lateral line 

 decurved; dorsal rays 8, anal rays 8 or 9; teeth 1,4 — 4,1 (or 1,4 — 4,0), slightly hooked, with 

 grinding surface. Color: pale, a narrow bluish lateral band ending in a faint spot on caudal 

 base; a large dark spot on upper posterior part of dorsal fin; dorsal and caudal yellow or 

 creamy; tips of caudal and dorsal fins and whole of anal fin charged with milky white pigment. 

 Length, 2.5 inches, {nivetis, snowy.) 



This very small minnow, which is found from Virginia to South Carolina 

 east of the mountains, inhabits most of the streams of North Carolina and is 

 reported as abundant in the Tar, Neuse, and Catawba, and common in the Cape 

 Fear and Yadkin. It is also very abundant in the western end of Albemarle 

 Sound. 



