CLASS V. PISCES: ORDER 3. TELEOSTEA. 



■i t 



THE BLUE ROACn. 



THE BLEAK. 



The Bleak or Blick, Z. alburnus, is a well-known, small species, inhabiting many of the 



rivers of Europe ; it is tolerable food, 

 and affords amusement to voung fly- 

 fishers. It rises eagerly to almost any 

 fly, and sports incessantly on the surface 

 of the water of a fine day. Mr. Jesse says 

 they appear to be always restless and 

 always happy. Nevertheless, the intes- 

 tines are frequently found to be partly 

 occupied by a species of tape-worm. The 

 inner surface of the scales of this fish, as 

 well as that of the roach, dace, and white- 

 lint, is used as a silvery pigment for giving 

 luster to artificial pearls. Formerly this 

 was in great request, and a quart of these 

 scales was sold for from five to twenty 

 dollars. 



The following species of Leuciscus are 

 described by Dr. De Kay as found in the 

 rivers and lakes of New York and the 

 vicinity : the Black-nosed Dace, L. atronasus, one to three inches long : the Spawn-Eater, 

 L. Hudsonius, three to six inches long : the Red-Fin, L. cornutus, sometimes called Hed Dace 

 and Rough-Head, three to six inches long : the Roach-Dace, L. pulchellus, a beautiful species, 

 ten to fourteen inches long ; common in New England, where it is called Cousin Trout : the 

 Shining Dace, L. nitidus, two to six inches long ; called White Dace and Shiner at Lake Cham- 

 plain : the Black-headed Dace, L. atromaculatus, six to twelve inches long; sometimes called 

 Lake-Chub and Lake-Dace : the Bay Shiner, L. chrysopterus, four to six inches long: a beau- 

 tiful species, caught in New York Bay: the Silvery Dace, L. arffenieus, six inches long; com- 

 mon in New England: the Banded Dace, L. vittatus, two to four inches long: the Corpo- 

 raalen, L. corpioralis, ten to fifteen inches long; found in the Hudson, Oneida Lake, (fcc. : and 

 the Pigmy Dace, L. jiyginceus, one inch long, (fcc. 



The Minnow, L. phoxinus, is one of the smallest of European fishes, seldom exceeding three 



inches in length ; it inhabits rivers, brooks, 

 and canals, is exceedingly prolific, and 

 spawns in June. It is the fish on which a 

 young angler usually takes his first lessons; 

 it is extensively employed as bait for pike, 

 trout, and large perch. The name Minnow, 

 and also that of Minim, which is common, 

 are said to be derived from the Latin, mini- 

 mus, having reference to the extreme mi- 

 nuteness of the fish. 

 Dr. De Kay describes among American Minnows the following : Transparent Minnow, i/y- 

 drargira diaphana, three to five inches long; back brown-olive, sides delicate blue, lower parts 

 white ; found in Saratoga Lake, where it is used for bait: the Barred Minnow, H. multifasciata, 

 three inches long; found in the same locality; possibly the young of the preceding: and the 

 Ciiamplain Minnow, H. atricada, three and a half inches long. Frank Forester says that we 

 have not in this country the Minnow proper of Europe, but many species of the Hydrargira, or 

 American minnow, " Avhich, as live bait for pike, perch, and cat-fish, are not to be equalled. 

 They are generally known as Killy-fi-.ihr The Big Killifish, Fundulus viridescens, abounds in 

 salt-water creeks in the neighborhood of New York ; it is popularly called Minny and Big-kdlie. 

 The Striped Killifish, F.fasciatus, is found in the same localities. 



Genus STILBE : Stilbe, includes the New York Shiner, S. chrysoleucas, a beautiful little 



THE MINNOW. 



