34 FISHES OF PENNSYLVANIA. 

and the ventral origin under, the twelfth scale of the lateral line. The base of the 
dorsal is two-thirds as long as the head; the longest ray equals the distance from the 
nostrils to the end of the operculum, and the last ray is less than one-half as long’as 
the longest. The ventral does not reach to the vent; its length two-thirds that of the 
head. The anal origin is under the twenty-fourth scale of the lateral line; the base 
of the fin is scarcely as long as the postorbital part of the head; the last ray is one- 
third, and the longest ray two-thirds as long as the head. The pectoral is four-fifths 
as long as the head, and reaches to below the eleventh scale of the i1ateral line. The 
caudal is moderate in size and deeply forked, the middle rays less than one-half as 
long as the external rays. D. ii, 7; A. ii, 7; V. 8; P. 15; scales, 6-38 to 39-4; teeth, 
4-4, long, much compressed, and with a long oblique grinding surface. The lateral 
line is gently decurved on about the first six scales, thence straight and median to 
the root of the caudal fin. Color in spirits light brown with a broad silvery band, 
the fins all pale. The specimens described, No. 36,451, United States National Mu- 
seum, from the Saline river, Benton, Ark., are three and one-half to three and three- 
fourths inches long. 
The silvery minnow, or blunt jaw, according to the present interpreta- 
tion of the species, occurs from New Jersey to South Carolina, west to 
Dakota, and southwest to Texas. In the Potomac river there is a large 
variety, described by Girard as H. regius, which reaches a length of 
seven inches. This variety has the body deeper and the eye larger 
than in the western form. The largest dividuals recorded were nine 
inches long. 
This species spawns in the early spring, and is extensively used for 
food along with the Notropis hudsonius, spawn-eater, or so-called smelt 
or gudgeon. 
44. Hybognathus regius Girarp. 
The Smelt Minnow. 
The smelt minnow has a rather elongate body, with the head small and the snout 
short and blunt.. The greatest depth is contained from four to four and one-third 
times, and the least depth of the caudal peduncle nearly ten timesin the total length 
to base of caudal. The snoutis as long as the eye, and two-sevenths as long as the 
head. The width of the space between the eyes is nearly one and one-half times the 
length of the eye. The maxilla reaches to the vertical through the hind edge of the 
posterior nostril. The lower jaw is received within the upper. No barbel. The 
head is two-ninths of total length to base of caudal. The dorsal origin is above the 
fourteenth scale of the lateral line, and immediately over the ventral origin. The 
anal origin is under the twenty-sixth scale of the lateral line. Thelength of the dor- 
sal base equals that of the snout and eye combined; the longest dorsal ray equals 
nearly one-fifth of total to base of caudal. The pectoral reaches to below the elev- 
enth, and the ventral to the twenty-third scale of the lateral line. The anal base ‘is 
as long as the postorbital part of the head; the longest anal ray equals head without 
snout. The caudal is large and deeply forked, its middle rays less than one-half as 
long as the outer. D.8; A. 8; V.9; P. 15; scales, 8-40-6; teeth, 4-4. Length of 
specimen described, from the Potomac river, five and five-eighths inches. Color in 
life greenish above, paler below, the sides with a broad silvery band; in spirits the 
upper parts become hght brown. ‘The fins are uniformly pale. 
This large variety of the silvery minnow is sometimes called smelt 
minnow. It occurs in Maryland and Virginia, and its probable occur- 
rence in the Susquehanna is mentioned by Prof. Cope. It reaches a 
