DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SPECIES OF DARTERS FROM LAKE 

 MAXINKUCKEE, INDIANA. 



By Barton Warrkn Evermann, 

 Ichthyologist of the United States Fish Commission. 



During the summer and fall of 1899 the writer was engaged, under 

 the direction of tlie Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, in making a 

 physical and biological survey of Lake Maxinkuckee, Indiana. While 

 carrying on these investigations particular attention was, of course, 

 paid to the fishes found in the lake. Careful studies were made of 

 the abundance, distribution, feeding habits, and rate of growth of the 

 more important species, and sufficient collections were made to supply 

 data for cataloguing the species of fishes, mollusks, and crustaceans 

 inhabiting the lake. Among the fishes obtained are two species of 

 darters which appear to be new. As it is the intention to continue 

 the study of this lake during another season, and as the detailed report 

 upon the investigations will not be published until next year, it has 

 been thought advisable to publish the descriptions of these new species 

 in advance of the general report. 



Lake Maxinkuckee is in the southwest corner of Marshall County, 

 Ind., on the Logansport and Terre Haute railroad, 32 miles north of 

 Logausport. It is about 2.75 miles long, from north to south, 1.75 

 miles wide, and is quite regular in outline. Like all the lakes of north- 

 ern Indiana, it is of glacial origin. Its greatest depth, so far as known, 

 is 86 feet. The bottom is of compact sand and gravel near the shore, 

 then a wide bed of marl, and soft mud in the deeper parts. There are 

 only one or two short reaches near the shore where the bottom is soft. 

 The water is relatively pure and clear. The bottom temperature in 

 summer is 47° to 50° F., while the surface gets as warm as 77° to 80°. 



The lake is well supplied with aquatic vegetation, Chara, Potamoge- 

 ton, Myriophyllum, Ceratophyllum, Mtella, Vallisneria, and Scirpus being 

 abundant. At least 10 species of Poiamof/etow and 2 species of Scirpus 

 are found. Chara is abundant, great beds of it covering the bottom 

 in many places from near shore out to a depth of 12 or 15 feet. 



The catchment basin of the lake is small. The tributary streams 

 comprise one very small brook at the south end, a somewhat larger one 

 at the southeast corner, and three small ones upon the east and north- 

 east sides. They are short and sluggish and vary but little in size at 

 any time. The total inflow from them is but a few gallons per minute. 



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