Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 451 



The following is the description of a specimen 1.31 inches long 

 raked out of the weeds near Norris Inlet, December 12, 1904 : 



Head 3.6 in length ; depth 5 ; eye 4 in head, snout shorter than 

 eye; mouth moderate, the cleft reaching to anterior of orbit, and 

 somewhat oblique, upper lip on a level with lower margin of orbit; 

 under jaw somewhat the shorter; D. VI-8; A. I, 5; scales 10 in 

 transverse series, 36 in longtudinal series; no lateral line, but the 

 head with a well marked series of mucous pores in 2 rows, be- 

 ginning each side near tip of snout and passing up over eyes and 

 terminating a little above top of gill-cleft, each giving rise to a 

 short branch projecting upward along the posterior margin of the 

 occiput; body rather deep and compressed, resembling that of the 

 yellow perch or species of Etheostoma ; fins rather high but with a 

 narrow base, the slender ventrals reaching beyond the origin of 

 the anal; pectorals reaching to vent. 



Ground color yellow, each scale more or less punctate with 

 rather large punctulations so that each scale stands out distinctly, 

 giving the whole fish a checquered appearance ; punctulations gath- 

 ered into a row of about 10 small elongate dots along middle of 

 side; a dark line downward from eye; upper fins checked and 

 barred; caudal finely barred; lower fins plain. 



The Least Darter varies considerably in intensity of coloration, 

 but the pattern remains about the same. The specimens obtained 

 in the outlet of Lost Lake are generally considerably darker than 

 the others. These fishes are affected, to a very slight extent how- 

 ever, by the immature trematodes which produce small round black 

 spots in the skin. 



