164 REPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



A genus containing three species, all of which are represented in In- 

 diana. 



* Snout more than twice the length of the remainder of the head ; 



at least fifteen times as long as its least width. osseus, p. 164. 

 ** Snout not twice as h)ug as the rest of head ; its medium width in 

 its length about three and one-fourths times or more. 



platostomits, p. 165. 

 ^'^^' Snout usually, but not always, shorter than rest of head ; its 

 medium width in its length three times or le^s. 



tristcechus, p. 166. 



Lepisosteus osseus (Linn.). 

 Long-nosed Gar. 



Jordan and Gilbert, 1882, 8, 91 ; Jordan, 1882, 2, 770 ; Jordan, 

 1884, IS, 663. 



Body nearly cylindrical, with a long, pointed head ; snout long and 

 slender, its length more than twice that of the rest of the head, its least 

 width contained in its length fifteen to twenty times ; whole head in 

 length to caudal fin three times; dorsal rays, eight; anal rays, nine; 

 scales, about sixty horizontal rows ; color, olivaceous, paler below ; fins 

 with black spots; young with a lateral dark band, or row of dark spots; 

 may attain a length of five or six feet ; usually much smaller. 



New York, New Jersey, to Florida; west to Mexico; north to the 

 Great Lakes. Occurs mainly in lakes and the larger streams, but not 

 often in the smaller streams. 



In Indiana, this fish probably is to be found in every considerable body 

 of water. In the larger rivers it is entirely too common. It was taken 

 in the Wabash River by LeSueur (3, II, 329). Messrs. Jenkins and 

 Evermann report it as occurring in the Upper Wabash and Tippecanoe 

 Rivers (S3, '88, 44). Dr. Jenkins also found it at Lake Maxinkuckee. 

 Messrs. Evermann and Quick found it at Brookville, Franklin County 

 (5, No. 2, 3). Dr. Jordan captured specimens at Indianapolis, in 

 White River (1, '77, 377). I have seen it taken in numbers at Madisou, 

 from the Ohio River. The species appeared to be common at Rockford, 

 in Jackson County. In the Great Lakes, Professor Milner found this 

 fish occupying the zone from the shore to a depth of twenty fathoms. 

 Vigo County {16, 93); New Harmony (4, '88, 162); Whitley County 

 (Kirsch, 4, '94, 36); Owen and Spencer Counties (Eigenmann, S4, '93, 

 79). 



As is true in the case of many of our acquatic animals, the habits of 

 the long-nosed gar are not well known. It is at least a free swimmer 

 and prefers abundant space, since it seldom visits small streams. 

 They are usually regarded by the fishermen as strong and 



