HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 289 



ARGYREUS NASUTUS, Girard. 

 The Long-nosed Dace. 

 (PLATE XXII. FIG. 1.) 



Leuciscus nasutus, AYRES, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist., iv. p. 299, pi. 13, fig. 3. 



" " STOKEK, Mem. Amer. Acad., New Series, n. p. 415. 



* " " " Synopsis, p. 163. 



Rliinichthys nasutus, AOASSIZ, Lake Sup., p. 354. 

 Argyreus nasutus, Gut.viii), in Lit. 



Color. Dorsum and upper part of sides dark brown. Beneath, white. Dorsal and 

 caudal fins brownish. Pectorals lighter than dorsal. Ventrals and anal colorless. 



Description. Body elongated; cylindrical in front of the dorsal fin, compressed 

 posteriorly; its greatest depth equal to about one eighth of its entire length. Head 

 equal in length to one fifth of the fish ; flattened above and destitute of scales, 

 terminating in an obtuse snout, having the mouth beneath. Eyes circular, equal in 

 diameter to one sixth the length of the head. The nostrils are directly in front of the 

 eyes, the posterior the larger. The lateral line pursues nearly a straight course to the 

 caudal fin. 



The dorsal fin is situated on the anterior half of the dorsum, and is subquadran- 

 gular. 



The pectorals are just beneath the posterior angle of the operculum ; they are 

 large and rounded. 



The ventrals arise opposite a line just in front of the dorsal fin. 



The anal fin is of a similar form with the dorsal, and arises opposite the termination 

 of that fin. 



The caudal fin is lunated. 



The fin rays are as follows : D. 8. P. 16. V. 9. A. 8. C. 19. 



Length, four inches. 



Remarks. This species was first described by William O. Ayres, M. D., in the 

 Boston Journal of Natural History. He had received specimens from West Hartford, 

 Connecticut, from Mr. Charles P. Turner of Hartford, and others from Blanford in 

 this State, from Mr. C. H. Olmstead. From this latter gentleman, we learn that " they 

 inhabit rapid streams, hiding most commonly under stones, from which they often 

 dart out with great speed." When taken, " they struck at the bait with all the quick- 

 ness and vigor of Trout, and might be taken in almost any numbers." It has also been 

 found by Mr. S. F. Baird in Nichols Brook, a tributary of the Connecticut River. 



Massachusetts, OLMSTEAD, BAIRD. Connecticut, AYRES. 



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