350 Roosevelt Wild Life Annals 



American ^lei-.n^anscr {Meri/ns anierieaniis) (p. yl, and Kingfisher iCeryle 

 aleyon) (p. 15). One was found in the stomach of a Chain Pickerel taken at 

 Fairchikl ]jay, Oneida I^ake, June 30, 1916. 



Ecououiic Relations. Evermann ('01, p. 323) considers it a bait-minnow of 

 high rank; on Lake Ontario and among the Thousand Islands it is regarded as 

 the best for bass, and at Chautauqua Lake it is popular Muskallunge bait. He 

 further remarks (I.e.) : "Li northern Indiana it is a good general purpose minnow. 

 The smaller ones are good for Yellow Perch; those of medium size are excellent 

 for bass: while the largest are used for the Common Pike and the Pike Perch. 

 Its bright sihcTv culur makes it an attractive bait and it is active and vigorous 

 on the hook, swimming clear of vegetation and at a good distance above the bottom 

 when possible. It is ndt so hardy as it should be." Jordan and Evermann ('03, 

 p. xLi) also include it in the list of fishes that make superior live bait. Evermann 

 and Kendall ('01, p. 483) consider it one of the most useful bait-minnows in New 

 York, and Greeley ('27, p. 59) says that near the mouth of the Genesee River at 

 Lake Ontario it is used for Yellow Perch bait. It is probably a useful fish in 

 Oneida Lake, furnishing ndt (inly alunnlant bait, but also food for larger species 

 of fish and with which, because nf its varied diet, it probably does not seriously 

 compete, notwithstanding its abundance. 



References. Bean, '92; Clemens, '24: DeKay. '42; I<"vermann. "oi : Evermann 

 and Kendall, 'or; Fowler, '13: Forbes. '83: Forbes and Richardson, 'otj: (irceley, 

 '2J\ birdan and ICvermann, y'), '03; Meek and Hildebrand, '10; Reighard, "15; 

 Wriglit and Allen. '13. 



Notropis whipplii (Girard ). Silverfin jNIinnow, Stf.el-colokicd Minxow. 

 .Silverfins are uncommon in Oneida Lake, and are probably not distinguished from 

 Common Shiners, Notropis cornutus, by anglers who use the Lake minnows for 

 bait. Large examples differ from .shiners by having one or two indistinct blackish 

 spots on the membrane of the posterior part of the dorsal fin. The .Silverfin also 

 has a more compressed and more evenly elliptical IkkIv. and is withal a more trim 

 and handsome fish. 



Breeding and Life Llistory. Females a1)Mut to s]ia\vn were t;iken by b'drbes 

 and Richardson ('09, p. 147) in Illinois, from May Ji to June 12: and others 

 that had not deposited eggs were taken as late as the middle of August. \Vright 

 and Allen ('13, p. 5) give the spawning time for Ithaca, New York, as May 21 

 to June 28, and say that gravelly riffles are used for the imrjwse. Hrceding males 

 have numerous small tubercles on the head and on the >i<les jusi b.uk nf it. They 

 develop a satin-white pigment in the fins and along the belly, which h;is gi\rn the 

 name "Silvcrlln" to this species. lA'crniann and Cl;irk ('20. \ul. 1., ]). x,^^) 

 sa\- that till- species evidently s|)a\\iis. in l.;ikr M.'ixinkucki'e. Idw.-ird the end 

 of' July. 



Habitat. The species is evidently one of >tre;inis rather than l;ikes (Forbes 

 and Richardsnn. 'oy. ]). 146), iireferring rapid water. lAiTni.mn ( 'oi. p. 324) .says 

 it delights in the rush and swirl "f waters on riffles. 



food. l'(.rbes and Richardson ('09, p. 146) found th;it two-thirds of the 

 food of thirl v-tbri'e s]ic.inicns (•xamined consisted of insects, ncnrly b;d I of which 



