32 CHECK LIST OF THE 



D., 15; A., 7 to 8; v., 8. 



Colour pale ; caudal smoky gray ; lower fins red. 



This species is generally distributed through the St. Lawrence, Lake 

 Ontario and Lake Erie regions, but is nowhere abundant. When fully 

 developed it attains a length of about two feet. 



(24) Short-headed Mullet. 



(Moxostoma breviceps.) 



Body deep, compressed; head small; snout short and sharply conic, 

 overhanging the very small mouth, form suggesting that of the Whitefish ; 

 caudal fin with the upper lobe falcate and much longer than the lower ; 

 dorsal fin short, high and falcate ; anal large, . falcate, reaching beyond 

 front of caudal. Scales, 6-45-5. 



Colour silvery, the lower fins bright red. 



This species seems to be confined entirely to Lake Erie, so far as our 

 Province is concerned. It attains a length of about one foot and ranks 

 with the other fresh water Mullets as food. 



(25) Common Mullet. Red-horse. 



(Moxostoma aureoleum.) 



Body oblong, the back in front of dorsal elevated and compressed ; 

 head short, conical, broad between eyes; mouth rather small, with thick 

 lips; snout somewhat projecting; eye rather large; caudal peduncle deep, 

 compressed. Caudal forked. Scales large, about equal in size all over 

 the body and finely striated, 6-46-6 ; lateral line complete. 



D., 15; A., 8. 



Colour olivaceous, with strong brassy reflections, paler below ; tail 

 and lower fins red. 



This is the handsomest and best of all the Sucker family. It was 

 formerly abundant in the waters of the Lakes from the St. Lawrence to 

 Lake Superior, but owing to persistent netting during the spawing season 

 it has become comparatively scarce. In the early spring, as soon as the 

 ice moves out, the Mullet run up the streams to spawn, forcing their way 

 through the swiftest torrents in order to reach the gravelly beds, upon 

 which the ova are deposited. After spawning they retire to deep water. 

 While in the streams they will readily take worm bait, and as they fre- 

 quently attain a weight of four or five pounds they afford good sport in 

 the swift waters they frequent. 



Family CYPRINID^. (The Carps.) 



Cyprinoid fishes with the margin of the upper jaw formed by the pre- 

 maxillaries alone and the lower pharyngeal bones well developed, falci- 

 form nearly parallel with the gill arches, each provided with one to three 

 series of teeth in small number, four to seven in the main row, and a less 



