218 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 
The dorsal fin placed far back, quadrate, longer than its base, of eleven subequal rays, 
and placed over the anal. Pectorals obtusely pointed, 0°6 long, and containing seventeen 
very slender rays. Ventrals feeble, distant, and nearly in the centre of the body. Anal 0°5 
long, composed of eleven rays, of which the middle are longest. Caudal fin broad and short, 
slightly rounded, and with its numerous accessories comprising twenty-nine rays. 
Color. Olive-green above ; lighter on the sides, and becoming whitish, tinged with yellow- 
ish, on the abdomen. Opercles, pectorals and ventrals light greenish yellow. Irides yellow. 
Length, 3°0 - 5:0. Depth, 0°4 - 1:0. 
Bin tays, Di 11; Pel7v; Vii65 A. Tl C229; 
I cite but one synonime, although I am inclined to suspect that this may be the fish intended 
by Dr. Mitchill as Esox pisciculus ; but his description is not sufficiently precise to enable 
me to pronounce it to be the same with any certainty. M. Valenciennes, apud Humboldt, 
supposes this pusciculus to be the adult of his Fundulus fasciatus. 
This fish is known under the names of Minny (minnow), and more generally of Big Kille. 
It abounds in the salt-water creeks and brackish streams in the neighborhood of New-York. 
THE BARRED KILLIFISH. 
FuUNDULUS ZEBRA. 
(CABINET OF THE LYCEUM.) 
Characteristics. Fifteen to twenty narrow vertical lines over the body. Dorsal and anal 
punctate with white. Length 2 - 4 inches. 
Description. Body oblong, compressed ; dorsal outline, anterior to the fin, forms a slight 
curve, gently sloping to the snout. Scales rounded, and sparsely ciliate on the free margins ; 
radical margin straight, with parallel striz ; scales large on the head and opercles, extending 
far up on the base of the caudal fin. Lateral line not obvious. Summit of the head broad 
and flat. A short series of mucous pores anterior to the eyes. Mouth with a somewhat ver- 
tical aspect. Jaws protractile, furnished with a series of distant recurved teeth ; and behind 
this, others smaller and crowded. Pharynx with stout teeth. 
The dorsal fin quadrate, over the anal, with its posterior ray longest. Pectorals small, 
scarcely pointed, with the middle rays longest. Ventrals feeble. Anal fin very high, the pe- 
nultimate rays extending nearly to the accessory rays of the caudal. This latter fin rounded, 
almost pointed. 
Color. Body brownish green, with numerous narrow white lines or spots (forming inter- 
rupted lines), dividing the dark colored sides of the body into many dark colored bars. With 
these are numerous silvery white and steel-blue dots, giving a singularly beautiful and striped 
appearance to the fish; these dots extend over the dorsal and anal fins. 
