358 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



As a bait minnow, the Shiner is one of the best and most 

 popular. At Maxinkuckee it is one of the species most often used. 

 Owing to its general distribution and abundance in northern In- 

 diana it is easy to obtain examples of any desired size up to 6 or 

 7 inches, for which reason this species is used for all sorts of bait 

 fishing at the lake. Those 3 to 5 inches long are regarded as 

 among the very best lures for large-mouth black bass, and those 

 2 to 2^ inches long for yellow perch and crappie. It is a fine 

 trolling minnow when the water is not too warm ; when the water 

 is above 70° they are apt to suffer and die too readily. 



Head 4] in body; depth 3^, varying much with age; eye 4 to 5 ; 

 D. 8 ; A. 9 ; scales 6-41-3 ; teeth 2, 4-4, 2, with rather narrow grind- 

 ing surface. Body elongate in the young, in the adult short, com- 

 pressed, with the anterior dorsal region much swollen and gibbous ; 

 head rather heavy, compressed, rounded between the eyes, the 

 snout bluntish; mouth moderate, nearly horizontal, the jaws nearly 

 equal, the lower somewhat included ; eye moderate ; maxillary 

 scarcely reaching front of eye, the premaxillaries below the level 

 of the eye. Scales always deeper than long on the sides, becoming 

 extremely deep in the adult; lateral line decurved. Dorsal moder- 

 ate, inserted directly over ventrals in young, thrown somewhat 

 backward in adult by the growth of the nuchal region ; pectorals 

 barely or not reaching ventrals, the latter about to vent ; region in 

 front of dorsal typically with about 23 scales, the number ranging 

 from 15 to 40. Coloration, dark steel blue above, the scales with 

 dusky edges, the bases also dusky; a gilt line along the back and 

 one along each side, these distinct only when the fish is in the 

 water; belly and lower part of the sides silvery, bright rosy in 

 spring males ; dorsal fin somewhat dusky ; other fins plain ; the 

 lower fins all rosy in spring males ; head dai-k above ; a dark shade 

 behind scapula ; lower jaw and region in front of dorsal to tip of 

 snout covered with small tubercles in spring males; female and 

 young fishes are plain olivaceous above and silvery below. 



28. RED-NOSED MINNOW 



NOTROPIS RLBRIFRONS (Cope) 



This dainty little minnow is a common species from Vermont 

 and western Pennsylvania to Michigan, Kansas, and Kentucky. It 

 is by preference an inhabitant of the larger, clearer streams, 

 though it is also found in small rivers and creeks. It delights to 

 dvv^ell on the riffles and in the swifter water. Sometimes it is 

 found in large schools swimming near the surface in the deeper, 



