THE MINNOWS 



Family V. Cyprinida 



FISHES with the margin of the upper jaw formed by the pre- 

 maxillaries alone, and the lower pharyngeal bones well devel- 

 oped, falciform, nearly parallel with the gillarches, each with I to 

 3 series of teeth in small number, usually 4 or 5 in the main 

 row, and fewer in the other rows if present; head naked, body 

 scaly, except in a few genera; barbels usually not present, but 2 or 4 

 small ones present in some genera; belly usually rounded, rarely com- 

 pressed, never serrated; gill-openings moderate, the membranes 

 broadly joined to the isthmus; gills 4, a slit behind the last; no 

 adipose fin: dorsal fin short in all our species; ventrals abdo- 

 minal; air-bladder usually large and commonly divided into 2 

 parts; stomach without appendages, appearing as a simple enlarge- 

 ment of the intestine. 



The Cyprinidce constitute a very large family of fishes of mod- 

 erate or small size, inhabiting the fresh waters of the Old World 

 and North America. The family contains about 200 genera and 

 more than 1,000 species, of which about 225 are found in our 

 waters. This number greatly exceeds that of any other family of 

 fresh-water fishes. Not only are the species very numerous, but 

 the individuals are usually exceedingly abundant. 



Most of our species are very small fishes, usually not exceed- 

 ing a few inches in total length, and, on account of their great 

 uniformity in size, form, and colouration, they constitute one of the 

 most difficult groups in all zoology in which to distinguish genera 

 and species. 



Our Eastern species rarely exceed a foot in length, but ia the 

 West are several very large species, some reaching a length of 

 several feet, and all of these are of some food value. Several of 

 the smaller species are good "boy's fishes," and one or more 

 species can usually be found on any boy's string. They are all 

 sweet, delicious pan-fishes, albeit exasperatingly bony, and various 

 species of minnows constitute the very best live bait the angler 

 can get. 



The spring or breeding dress of the male is often very pecu- 

 liar; the top of the head and often the fins and portions of the 



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