84 SCIENCE SKETCHES. 



it, the '* Horned Dace ; " and in both were large 

 schools of Shiners ^ and of Suckers.^ But in every 

 deep hole, and especially in the mill-ponds along 

 the East Coy Creek, the Horned Pout^ swarmed 

 on the mucky bottoms. In every eddy, or in the 

 deep hole worn out at the root of the elm-trees, 

 could be seen the Sun-fish,* strutting in green and 

 scarlet, with spread fins keeping intruders away 

 from its nest. But in the Oatka Creek were found 

 neither Horned Pout nor Sun-fish, nor have I ever 

 heard that either has been taken there. Then be- 

 sides these nobler fishes, worthy of a place on 

 every school-boy's string, we knew by sight, if not 

 by name, numerous smaller fishes. Darters^ and 

 Minnows,^ which crept about in the gravel on the 

 bottom of the East Coy, but which we never recog- 

 nized in the Oatka. 



There must be a reason for difi"erences like these, 

 in the streams themselves or in the nature of the 

 fishes. The Sun-fish and the Horned Pout are 

 home-loving fishes to a greater extent than the 

 others which I have mentioned ; still, where no ob- 

 stacles prevent, they are sure to move about. 

 There must be, then, in the Oatka some sort of 

 barrier, or strainer, which keeping these species 

 back permits others more adventurous to pass ; 

 and a wider knowledge of the geography of the 

 region showed that such is the case. Farther 



1 Notropis vicgalops Rafinesque. 



2 Catostot7ius teres Mitchill. 



^ Ameiurus melas Rafinesque. 

 * Lepomis gibbostcs \J\XiW^\x's>. 



5 Etheostoma flabellare Rafinesque. 



6 Rhinichthys atronasus Mitchill. 



