PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 511 
Thirty-six individuals were captured at Artesia and four at Macon. 
Length from 2 to 23 inches. 
This species must be closely allied to Lythrurus atripes, Jordan, found 
by Prof. S. A. Forbes in Southern [linois. The differences are, how- 
ever, sufficiently evident. The larger eye, shorter head, fewer scales 
along the lateral line, and the fewer soft rays in the dorsal fin will dis- 
tinguish my species from that. The peculiar coloration of the fins and 
the lack of the dorsal spot will furnish the most obvious differences. 
This species illustrates well the little value of the character most 
relied on for separating the Lythruri as a genus from the species of 
Minnilus. While the external characters are all, or nearly all, those of a 
typical Lythrurus, the teeth are decidedly “ sharp-edged”, as that term 
must be defined in order to be applicable to other species with ‘“sharp- 
edged” teeth. ‘ 
Under the subgenus Lythrurus I would arrange the following species. 
There may be others that ought to be included: 
Minnilus diplemius (Raf.) Hay.—Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sei. Phila. 1867, 
162. Pennsylvania to Illinois. 
M. cyanocephalus (Copeland) Hay.—Jordan, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 
1877, 70. Michigan to Minnesota. 
M. atripes (Jord.) Hay.—Jordan, Bull. Hl. Lab. Nat. Hist. No. 2, 59. 
Southern linois. 
M. rubripinnis, Hay.—Mississippi. 
M. ardens (Cope) Hay.—Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1867, 163. 
Virginia and North Carolina to Kentucky. 
M. bellus, Hay.—Mississippi. 
M. lirus, Jordan.—Jordan, Annals N. Y. Lye. Nat. Hist. 1877, 342. 
M. punctulatus, Hay.—Mississippi. 
As an aid to the identification of the species given above, I insert the 
following analytical table: 
I. Elongated species ; depth in length 44 or more times. 
1. Color pale, with a lateral metallic blue band...-.-...------------------M. LIRUS. 
2. Colors conspicuous—steel-blue, red, and purplish. 
a. A black spot at the base of the dorsal ; first ray of dorsal opposite the ventrals; 
Peemie Gte SUE s Oe anata erat seat accie nei eee Sete =e AEN By 
b. A black spot at the tips of the anterior dorsal rays; first dorsal ray behind 
Ehewventirats ale let. 28 oe en ae ee ni ROB RIE ENNIS. 
II. Deep and compressed species ; depth 4} times or less in the length. 
1. Species with a distinct black spot at the base of dorsal. 
a. Species with conspicuous hues; the dorsal surface dusky ; sides and fins with 
more or less crimson. 
* Eye small, 4 in head; depth 3} in length; D. I, 7; A. I, 11.-.-- M. ATRIPES. 
** Bye in head 31; depth in length 33; D. 1,9; A. I, 11...---- M. DIPLMIUS. 
*** Eye in head 34; depth in length 4; D. 1,8; A. I, 11 or 12.M. CYANOCEPHALUS, 
b. Color pale; scales coarsely punctulated, small, 10 to 12-46 to 50-3; spot small. 
M. PUNCTULATUS. 
2, No distinct spot at the base of the dorsal; fins tipped with black.....M. BELLUS. 
