1102 Bulletin 47, UniteS States National Museum. 



above, with dusky dots on sides, a dark line downward and another for- 

 ward from the eye ; base of caudal with 4 dark spots in a vertical row. 

 Dorsal and caudal fins speckled and barred with dark ; the spinous dorsal 

 in life usually bright blue, with a median crimson band. An extremely 

 variable species found in lowland streams and ponds from Massachusetts 

 to the Rio Grande and west to Minnesota. Throughout this entire region 

 small darters are found, which agree more or less closely with typical 

 fusiformis, from Charles River, Massachusetts, but presenting slight vari- 

 ations for different regions. To these have been given the various speci- 

 fic names found in the accompanying synonymy.* (fusiformis, spindle 

 shaped.) 



Boleosoma fusiformis, GIRARD, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., 1854, 41, Charles River, Massa- 

 chusetts. (Coll. Girard.) 



Boleosoma barratli, HOLBKOOK, Journ. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1855, 56, South Carolina. 



Boleosoma gracile, GIRARD, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, 103, Rio Seco and Leona River, 

 near Fort Inge, Texas. (Type, No. 1328. Coll. Kennerly.) 



Hololepis erochrous, COPE, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1864, 233, Brown's Mill, New Jersey, 

 opposite Philadelphia, (Coll. Cope); VAILLANT, Kecherches sur Etheoet., 133, 1873, with 

 plate. 



Boleichthys eos, JORDAN & COPELAND, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1877, 46, Rock River, Wiscon- 

 sin; Wisconsin River, Wisconsin, (Coll. Jordan & Copeland); Fox River, Illinois, 

 (Coll. Jordan); Northern Indiana, (Coll. Dr. G. M. Levette); perhaps a valid species. 



Pcecilichih.ysbutlerianus, HAY, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., ir, 1882 (1883), 61, shallow pool on Big 

 Black River near Vaughans Station, Yazoo County, Mississippi, (Coll. Hay); JOR- 

 DAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 519, 1883. 



Pcecilichthys palustris, GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1884, 209, Switz City Swamp, Greene 

 County, Indiana. (Coll. Gilbert.) 



Hololepis barratti, VAILLANT, Kecherches sur Etheost., 127, 1873, with plate. 



Hololepis fusiformis, VAILLANT, Recherches sur Etheost., 131, 1873, with plate. 



Pcecilichthys barratti, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 519, 1883. 



Pcecilichlhys fusiformis, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 520, 1883. 



Pcecilichthys erochrous, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 520, 1883. 



Pcecilichtkys eos, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 521, 1883. 



* Some of the results of a comparison of specimens of this species from different localities 

 may be given here: 



a. Thayer Lake, Michigan (eos). These specimens are a little stouter and darker in color; 



the scales on the cheeks obscure, in this respect approaching exile; scales 55. 



b. Northern Illinois (eos). Stouter, the depth 5 in length; scales 56, 4 rows above lateral line; 



scales on cheeks evident; 3 spots at base of caudal. 



c. Southern Illinois (barraUi). Still stouter, depth 4%; scales 49, 3 rows above lateral line; 



cheeks well scaled; color nearly plain; Bides with faint bars, and a single spot at base 

 of caudal. 



d. Terre Haute, Indiana (palustris). Depth 5; scales 50, 3 rows above lateral line; snout 



rather short; cheeks well scaled; a single faint caudal spot; markings obscure; bluish 

 bars in life. 



e. Trinity River, Dallas, Texas (gracilis). Similar to b in color and form, a little stouter; 



cheeks well scaled; scales 50, 3 rows above lateral line; 3 spots at base of caudal. 

 /. Saline River, Benton, Arkansas (gracilis). Similar to e. Scales 49; 3 spots at base of caudal. 

 g. Sims Bayou, Houston, Texas (gracilis). Snout blunter; color much paler; spots at base of 



caudal scarcely perceptible; scales 53. 

 ft. Mount Vernon, Indiana (palustris). Stout; depth 4%; scales; 53, 1 row above lateral line; 



1 caudal spot; snout bluntish; no dark lateral stripe. 



Possibly these several varieties may be separated by the following characters: 

 a. Body very slender, depth about 6 in length. 

 6. a dark lateral stripe and more or less of red markings; 4 dark spots at base of caudal. 



FUSIFORMIS. 



bb. Paler, no evident dark lateral stripe, but body finely spotted or mottled with dark; 



no red spots; 3 faint spots or none at base of caudal. GRACILIS. 



aa. Body stoutish, depth 4% to 5% in length; no dark lateral stripe. 



c. Snout moderate; scales on cheeks small; sides with crimson spots. EOS. 



cc. Snout bluntish; no bright red; sides with greenish cross shades. PALUSTRIS. 



ccc. Snout rather sharp; body nearly plain greenish. BARKVTTI. 



