■^8 PRELIMINARY REPORT 



Fins large, the pectoral about the length of the head; spinous dor- 

 sal about equal to the soft dorsal in height, the former a little the 

 longer; anal fin small, its spines very small and weak. Head con- 

 tained 3f to 4^ times in the length. Depth 5 to 6. Eye 3§ to 4 in 

 the head, about equal to the snout. Dorsal fin IX, 12 to 14. Anal 

 I, 7 to 9. Scales 5-44 to 55-9, none generally present on the cheeks 

 and breast; opercles, and generally the back of the neck, covered 

 with scales. Opercle with a strong spine. Pyloric cseca 3 to 6. 

 Length 2 to 2^ inches. 



This interesting little fish is everywhere common in the state. 

 Specimens were described from Lake Superior as Boleosoma macii- 

 latum Agassiz (Lake Superior, 305, 1850); it is reported very com- 

 mon from the Lake of the Woods (Woolman & Cox, 1894); all the. 

 streams and lakes of the Upper Mississippi (Nat. Hist. Surv., 

 1892-3-5) ; the Minnesota and Blue Earth rivers and tributaries near 

 Mankato (Cox, 1891-5); Des Moines River and tributaries (Cox, 

 1894); Upper Minnesota River and tributaries and tributaries of 

 the Red River of the North (Woolman, 1892, Report U. S. Fish 

 Comm., 1893, p. 372). 



Genus AMMOCRYPTA Jordan. 



Ammocrypta pelliicida clara (Jordan & Meek). Sand Darter. 



Semitransparent in life; light yellow after being placed in alco- 

 hol; sides with a row of dark dots; a row of dark spots along the 

 back; scales with minute black dots. Body very slender and some- 

 what cylindrical; head rather large, mouth rather wide; snout 

 sharp, extending beyond the mouth; upper jaw protractile; jaws 

 and vomer with teeth. Head contained 4 to 4| times in the length. 

 Depth 7 to 8^. Dorsal fin X-10. Anal I, 8 to 10. Scales ctenoid, 

 €-67 to 78; no scales on the back of the neck and none on the sides 

 anteriorly, except 5 or 6 rows along the lateral line; few scales on 

 the cheeks. Pyloric caeca 4. Length 3 inches. The variety clara 

 differs from the typical pellucida only in having no scales on the 

 back of the neck and none on the sides anteriorly, except the 5 or 

 6 rows along the lateral line. It is doubtful whether such a variety 

 should be recognized. 



The only place in the state where this interesting little darter 

 has been taken is in the Minnesota and Blue Earth rivers at Man- 

 kato, where it is very common (Cox, 1891-5). 



