embody] A METHOD OF FISH STUDY FOR BECIXXERS 157 



and sunfish. This was accomplished by well directed questions 

 and with living specimens before the student. 



2. Recording in notebook brief descriptions of the characters 

 exhibited by about ten different kinds of fishes. Here also living 

 specimens in aquaria were before the student and the work done 

 was largely individual although closely supervised by the teacher. 



3. Classifying the fishes studied and working out individual 

 tables or keys for same. 



An outline that has been found useful in recording the observa- 

 tions in part two, is reproduced here as properly filled out for the 

 horned dace. This may likewise form the basis of the question- 

 naire in part one. It should be noted that in describing recognition 

 characters one need only to underscore the particular term which 

 applies to the species in hand thus reducing the amount of writing 

 to a minimum. 



FIELD NOTES OX FISHES 



Outline 

 Name of Fish Horned Dace. Date Aug. 2, 1916. 



See picture, page Waters visited Cascadilla Cr. 



(Underscore the words applying to the particular apecies at hand.) 



Where seen: small brook, creek, river, pond, lake 



1. Kind of water: cold spring, warm; clear or roily; rapids or pool; in 

 vegetation or barren places . 



2. Kind of bottom: mud, sand, gravel or rocks. 

 Body. Form: compressed or cylindrical. 



Head. i. Form: compressed, depressed, conical. 



2. Barbels or feelers: present, absent, minute. 



3. Teeth: long and sharp, short and in pads, absent. 



4. Operculum: with or without scales. 



5. Cheek: with or without scales. 



6. Mouth: terminal, subterminal; sub-superior; inferior. 



7. Premaxillary bone: movable forward, or fixed. 



8. Gill membranes: free or joined to isthmus. 



