190 REPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



tinge. The fins are more or less dusky. Smaller specimens have a se- 

 ries of blotches or short transverse bars, while the young have a jet black 

 band from the snout to the tail. The upper surface of the head with two 

 longitudinal black bands. Dorsal surface dusky, with fine black dots. 

 Anterior border of dorsal fin black. The length rarely becomes more 

 than one foot. 



Distributed from Massachusetts to Dakota and south. Indiana locali- 

 ties are as follows: New Harmony (4, '88, 162); Lawrence, Monroe and 

 Brown counties (23, '84, 200); Green County (2S, '84, 207); White 

 Eiver at Indianapolis (i, '77, 377); Tippecanoe River (i, '77, 45; ^, '88, 

 158); Lakes of Laporte County, St, Joseph's River, Maumee River, 

 Kankakee River (i, '77, 45); Kankakee River (4, '88, 155); streams 

 of Carroll County (23, '88, 45) ; Lake Michigan (U, No. 1, 48); Eel 

 River basin (4, '94, 36). 



This species of little value as an article of food. As to its manner of 

 life, Prof. Forbes found that the two young specimens studied by him 

 contained small eutomostraca, some insect larvse, and a considerable quan- 

 tity of protozoa. 



Catostomus melanops Raf. 



Spotted Mullet; Striped Sucker. 



MinytrewM melanops. Jordan and Gilbert, 1882, 8, 186. 



Form varying considerably with age ; the young elongated and little 

 compressed ; the adults deeper bodied and somewhat compressed. Depth 

 in length three to four and one-half. Head in the length about four and 

 one-half. Mouth small and inferior, the upper lip being very protractile. 

 Eye small, five or more in the head. Dorsal rays twelve, anal rays 

 seven. Scales large, about forty-five transverse rows and twelve to four- 

 teen longitudinal rows, counting from the dorsal to the ventral fins. No 

 lateral line of pores on the young ; imperfect, but somewhat developed, 

 in the adults. Dusky above, the sides and belly silvery or brassy. The 

 scales on the sides of the adults each with a dusky spot at its base, as a 

 consequence of which there are rows of spots along the sides. These may 

 be missing in the young. Old males in the spring have the head covered 

 with small tubei'cles. Length about eighteen inches. 



Distribution from the region of the Great Lakes to South Carolina 

 and Texas. Indiana localities are : Lower Wabash (1, '11, 45) ; Mon- 

 roe County (1, '85, 410); White River at Indianapolis (i, '77, 377); 

 Kankakee River at Plymouth (4, '88, 155) ; Posey County (^, '88, 162) ; 

 doubtless also in Lake Michigan; Eel River basin (4, '94, 36). 



This fish, like all the tribe of suckers, makes poor food. Jordan (2, 

 '82, 5), says that it is tenacious of life and makes a good fish for the 

 aquarium. 



