Lake Maxinkiickee, Physical and Biological Survey 347 



20. ROACH 



ABRAMIS CRYSOLEUCAS (Mitchill) 



(Plate 13) 



The Roach, known also as the Golden Shiner or Bream, is a 

 common fish from Nova Scotia and Maine to the Dakotas and south 

 to Texas, on both sides of the Alleghenies, and is usually abundant 

 in weedy ponds and sluggish streams. It is not abundant in Lake 

 Maxinkuckee ; specimens were obtained in only 7 hauls of the seine 

 and of these 6 were made in Culver Inlet, and one in the outlet 

 below Lost Lake. A few were seen, along with calico bass and 

 bluegills under the Merchant pier, near Culver, Nov. 15, 1906. In 

 all, 59 specimens, ranging from 1] to b'i inches, were taken. It is 

 a handsome, hardy fish, and w^ould make a very attractive aquarium 

 fish. It is sometimes used, along with other minnows, for bait. 



This species reaches a maximum length of about a foot and may 

 be known from other minnows inhabiting this lake by the greatly 

 compressed body, the small mouth, the large anal fin and the 

 greatly decurved lateral line. 



Head 4.5 ; depth 3.5 ; eye 4 ; snout 4 ; maxillary 4.3 ; mandible 3 ; 

 interorbital 2.6 ; caudal peduncle 2 ; D. I, 8 ; A. I, 12 ; scales 11-51-3. 



Body elongate ovate, strongly compressed ; head small and 

 short, moderately pointed ; snout short, pointed ; eye moderate, in 

 axis of body ; mouth small, oblique, maxillary not reaching eye ; 

 jaws subequal. Fins moderate; origin of dorsal behind insertion 

 of ventrals and a little nearer base of caudal than tip of snout; 

 first dorsal ray longest, 1.2 in head ; last ray about ^ length of 

 first; base of dorsal 1.75 in longest ray; free edge of anal con- 

 cave, the first rays longest, about 1.2 in longest dorsal; last anal 

 ray about 3 in first, base of anal equal to longest ray; caudal 

 widely forked, the notch rounded, the lower lobe slightly longer, 

 greater than head, the upper scarcely equal to head; pectoral 

 small, short, 1.3 in head, not reaching insertion of ventrals ; ven- 

 trals shorter than pectoral, reaching f way to anal ; scales rather 

 small, not very firm, and not closely imbricated; lateral line com- 

 plete, strongly decurved. 



Color, clear greenish above ; side silvery, with bright golden re- 

 flections ; fins yellow-greenish, the tips of the lower fins sometimes 

 somewhat orange in breeding males. 



