166 REPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



of caudal about three times. Dorsal, eight ; anal, eight. Scales about 

 sixty along lateral line. Color of adults, dark olive above, paler below; 

 some silvery on sides of head and body. Vertical fins and sometimes 

 sides of body with dark blotches. .May reach a length of five feet, but 

 specimens of this size must be extremely rare. ' They are usually about 

 two feet. The species has about the same range as the preceding, but is 

 more common in the Southern States than farther north. 



In Indiana this species seems to be quite rare. Prof. Jordan states 

 that he has seen specimens from Lake Michigan (^10, '74, 227), and Prof. 

 Jenkins reports (^16, 93; 23, '88, 55) having taken specimens from the 

 Wabash in Vigo County. Vincennes and New Harmony (4, '88, 162). 

 It was also taken in the Wabash River by the French naturalist, Le- 

 Sueur (S, II, 329). Lake Manitou (Eigeumann, 2^, '93, 79). 



Less is known about the habits of this gar than about those of the 

 long-nosed gar. Their habits are probably quite similar. While both 

 species frequent the larger streams, the short-nosed gar, at least, can live 

 in very impure waters. Along the Lower Mississippi I have seen large 

 numbers of them in a small, shallow, and muddy pond, having been left 

 there by the retiring of the high waters. In the Great Lakes this gar 

 appears to live from shore to a depth of twenty fathoms *(ii, '72-3, 36). 

 Prof. Forbes (i^, '88, 464) states that such individuals as were examined 

 by himself had eaten nothing but fishes. 



Lepisosteus tristcechus (Bloch and Schneider). 

 Alligator Gar. 



Jordan, 1888, 7, 36; Litholepis tristoeehus, Jordan and Gilbert, 1882, 8, 

 92; I/itholepis spatula, Jordan, 1882, 2, 774; Lepidosteus spatula, 1884, 

 12, 664. . 



Resembles the two preceding, but attains a larger size and has a shorter 

 head and a shorter, wider snout. Head in the length to base of caudal, 

 three and one-half times. Snout usually not quite so long as the rest of 

 the head, but sometimes a third longer; its median width contained in its 

 length three times or less. There is also a second row of large teeth 

 f)resent in the upper jaw, situated along the outer edge of the palatine 

 bone. How^ever, the smaller individuals of L. platodomus have similarly 

 placed teeth, and hence care must be observed. In platostomiis the teeth 

 referred to are shed later in life. Dorsal rays, eight ; anal rays, eight. 

 Scales along the lateral lines about sixty. Color similar to the others. 

 Length sometimes ten feet. This species is distributed from the Ohio 

 River through the Southern States to Cuba and Central America. It is 

 undoubtedly rare in the rivers of Indiana. Rafinesque and Kirtland have 

 recorded it from the Ohio River. Dr. Jordan reports it from New Har- 

 mony (4, '88, 162). 



