96 CHECK LIST OF THE 



through the Great Lakes region, more particularly so in the west and 

 north ; in the southern and eastern parts of the Province it is represented 

 by the following sub-species : 



Tessellated Darter. (Boleosoma nigrum oimstedi.) 



(102) Tessellated Darter. 



(Boleosoma nigrum oimstedi.) 



Very similar to the last, but the cheeks and opercles scaly and nape 

 and breast naked. Lateral line complete. 



D. IX., 14; A. I., 9. About 50 scales on lateral line. 



Colour, olivaceous ; fins with many narrow bars ; back tessellated ; 

 sides with blotches and zigzag markings. Head in spring, males black. 

 A dark streak forward from the eye and another downward. 



This is the most abundant and generally distributed Darter we have. 

 It is found in most streams and quiet sandy bays of the southern and 

 eastern parts of the Province, where it lies secreted under stones on the 

 bottom, or buries itself in the sand, leaving only its eyes visible. When 

 alarmed it darts with great rapidity to the nearest shelter and trusts to 

 concealment for protection. It grows to a length of about three inches 

 and is interesting by reason of its peculiar habits. 



GENUS AMMOCRYPTA. (SAND DARTERS.) 



Body slender and elongate, subcylindrical ; pellucid in life. Head 

 slender. Mouth rather wide, horizontal, the lower jaw included ; premax- 

 illaries very protractile; teeth on the vomer. Scales thin, ctenoid, little 

 imbricated, present along the region of the lateral line, and on the tail, 

 sometimes wanting on the back or belly; lateral line complete, each tube 

 occupying nearly the whole length of its scale. Head scaly or naked ; no 

 ventral plates, the belly naked. Gill membranes considerably united, 

 forming an angle at their junction. Dorsal fins moderate, about equal to 

 the anal fin and to each other ; dorsal with about ten spines ; anal spine 

 weak; ventrals well separated, behind pectorals, their spines feeble; pec- 

 torals pointed, symmetrical, of twelve to fifteen rays. Pyloric caeca, four. 

 Frontal region of skull narrow, the parietal region unusually depressed ; 

 the bones of skeleton all slender and thin. Sutures of skull very distinct ; 

 supraoccipital crest obsolete. Foramen of hypercoracoid very large. 



