118 THE CYPRINODONTS. 



dibles longer, firmly joined ; interraaxillaries shorter, protractile. Teeth 

 small, in bands, subconical, hooked, outer series larger. Eye large, shorter 

 than snout, two sevenths of head, three fifths of interorbital space. Dorsal 

 origin about midway from eye to tip of caudal, a trifle backward from the 

 first ray of the anal. Anal larger than doi-sal, base extending farther for- 

 ward and not quite so far back, fin length varying with age and sex. Ven- 

 trals small, not reaching the anal. Pectorals small, reaching the bases of the 

 ventrals. Median rays of caudal longer ; fin rounded to bluntly pointed. 



Light olivaceous to greenish or yellowish olive, with a band of brown 

 or black passing from the snout, through the eye, above the pectoral, to 

 the middle of the tail, about one scale and two half-scales in width. Back 

 and flanks, to the lower edge of the band, commonly sprinkled with small 

 spots of brown. Dor.sal, anal, and caudal with smaller spots, to some extent 

 forming transverse series. Top of head dark, frequently a light spot on the 

 occiput. A light streak along the edge of the dark band on the flank is not 

 rare. Below the band, lighter to white. Specimens marked with vertical 

 bars of brown on the lower portion of the sides, as in Fig. 10, Plate X, are 

 common. On many the spots are more numerous than on Fig. 12 of the 

 same plate. 



The variety to which the name zonatiis was given by Agassiz, from Michi- 

 gan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois, appears to have more distinct and persis- 

 tent vertical bars than the southern representatives. In cases the lateral 

 bars are broken into spots, in many the longitudinal band extends out upon 

 the caudal. A phase of coloration frequently met with shows the band with 

 the bars forming mere serrations or projections on its edges. 



Alabama to Wisconsin, 



This species has been identified by different authors with Semotilus ? 

 notatus of Rafinesque. It is, however, impossible to determine from the 

 description of that author what he had before him. The following is his 

 account : — 



"107th species. Silverspottcd chubby. Semotilus? notatus. Scmotile tache. 

 Breadth one sixth of the length, brownish, pale beneath ; head small, obtuse, with 

 a large silver spot on the forehead between the eyes, jaws nearly equal ; dorsal fin 

 opposed to the anal, tail oboval (Mitirc. It is found in the Cumberland River, and the 

 Little River, a branch of it. Communicated by Mr. Wilkins. It is rather doubtful 

 whether it belongs to this genus, or Minnilus, Rutilus, etc. It might perhaps be found 

 to constitute a peculiar one by the small mouth without lips, and the posterioi- dorsal 



