34 FISHES OF THE CONNECTICUT LAKES. 
frequent distended appearance of the abdomen due to tapeworms with 
which the fish seems to be extensively affected. 
Its range is somewhat greater than is given by Jordan and Ever- 
mann, reaching to New Brunswick and Quebec and in the United 
States extending south to northern Alabama and west to Minnesota 
at least, the form running into several varieties. Ernest Thompson- 
Seton does not mention it as occurring in Manitoba. We collected it 
in Mud Pond Brook, in Round Pond Brook, in a rivulet affluent of 
Main Inlet above mouth of First Lake, in Main Inlet at mouth of 
Coon Brook, at the mouth of East Inlet of Second Lake, along shore 
of Third Lake, in Third Lake at outlet, and in Indian Stream. It 
attains a length of about 3 inches and is usually very abundant 
throughout its range in clear streams. Specimens collected measured 
from 1.29 to 2.95 inches in length. In the upper Connecticut waters 
it appears to be less abundant than its congener, although locally it 
was somewhat more numerous at times. Like the other dace, it feeds 
upon small aquatic animals and insects. 
Young individuals from about 1.29 to 1.66 inches long were found 
to be feeding upon diatoms, entomostraca, small aquatic worms, and 
fragments of insects. 
The spawning time is in the spring and early summer, when the 
males assume a more brilliant coloration, more or less red being evi- 
dent, and often the intensely black stripe seems to be margined with 
reddish golden or bronze. 
The larger individuals of this little species are hardy and make an 
attractive bait for salmon and trout. They may be caught with a 
small hook and worm bait, but this is a slow method. The most satis- 
factory means is by minnow traps; a small] seine or dip-net is some- 
times effective in brooks that are clear enough, where the ingenuity 
of the fishermen may indicate ways and means of driving the fish into 
the nets. 
10. Cuus-minnow. Couesius plumbeus (Agassiz). 
Head 4.45 (3.7 to 5.2); eye 3.75 (3.3 to 4.2) ; snout 3.85 (3.07 to 3.8) ; dorsal 
8; anal 8; scales about 65 (60 to 70) in lateral line, about 34 (31 to 387) before 
dorsal fin. 
Body elongate, not compressed; head flattish above; snout broad, somewhat 
projecting over the moderate, somewhat oblique mouth ; maxillary barely reach- 
ing front of eye; barbels on maxillary always evident; eye large, nearly equal- 
ing snout; pharyngeal teeth said to be normally 2, 44, 2 (in our specimens 
variously 2, 44, 2; 2, 5-4, 2; 2, 44, 1; 1, 44, 1 and 1, 44, 0). Scales small, 
crowded forward, those on the back smallest; origin of dorsal nearly midway 
between tip of snout and middle base of caudal, being slightly nearer latter ; 
longest dorsal ray about 1.4 in head, the anterior rays longest; free margin of 
fins slightly concave; longest anal ray from 1.2 to 1.6, its form similar to that 
of dorsal; caudal forked; pectoral rounded, reaching nearly to base of ventrals, 
1.2 to 1.6 in head; ventrals reaching vent, about 1.6 in head. 
