126 



XLV— CYPRINODONTIDE. 



FUNDULUS, Lacep. 



1— F. viridescens. 



Mud-Dabbler, Big Killie, or Minnow. 



Body elongated, cylindrical, flattened above, mucli com- 

 pressed on the sides of the tail. Scales large; very large on 

 the head, extending to the end of the snout; a central one on 

 the summit of the head, with its entire margin free. Head 

 very small, flattened above, Avith large and distant eyes. 

 Olive-green above, lighter on the sides; whitish, tinged with 

 yellowish, on the abdomen. Length, 3 to 5 inches. 



Fin-rays:— D. 11; P. 17; V. 6; A. .11; C. 29. 



F. viridescens^ Schoepff, Beobach. der Naturf. etc., vol. 

 VIII, p. 172 ; Nat. Hist, of New York, p. 217, pi. 31, fig. 

 99. 



Hydrargijra pisculenta, Mitcliill. Storer's; Syn. of the fishes 

 of N. A. in Mem. Am. Acad, of Arts and Sciencss, vol. II, 

 p. 432. 



Common in the brackish waters of the Western Shore on the 

 Bay side. In the regions of the Patapsco, they live in shal- 

 low waters, v;here small creeks and branches empty into the 

 estuaries. Their habits are carnivorous, and they find wel- 

 come food in the beach-fleas, Avhich abound in such places. 



Acad. Coll. 



2— F. fasciatus. 



Mud-Dabbler, Striped Killie Pish, or May Fish. 



Body oblong, somewhat compressed. Head depressed. 

 Dusky greenish on the back ; darker on the head above. 

 Sides brassy-yellow, tinged with green ; lighter beneath. 

 • Along the sides are faint indications of dusky bars, which 

 become on the tail distinctly marked black bars, or lines of 

 interrupted black dots. Besides these bars there are also 

 from two to five irregular, longitudinal stripes of various 

 lengths. Dorsal and anal with numerous white dots. — 

 Length, 2 to 4 inches. 



Fin-rays:— D. 14; P. 15; V. 6; A. 11; C. 23. 



F. fasciatus, Schoepff Beobach. Ntfr. Fr., vol. VIII, p. 

 173; Nat. Hist, of New York, p. 216, pi. 32, fig. 98. 



Hydrargyra fasciata, Schn.; Storer's Synops. of the Fishes 

 of N. A. in Mem. of the Am. Acad, of Art and Sciences, vol. 

 11, p. 432. 



