236 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 



mottliiigs. First dorsal pale yellowish, with horizontal interrupted bars of dark green. Pec- 

 torals pointed ; the first ray light yellow ; the second blackish, and the remainder orange. 

 Ventrals and anal with their first rays entirely white, as are the tips of the second and third 

 rays. The bodies of the second and third, and the tip of the fourth, black, which causes 

 them to appear blackish on their edges, and broadly bordered with white ; the remaining rays 

 reddish. Caudal reddish, with obscure parallel dark bands, which are more distinct towards 

 the tips of the lobes. Irides white. 



Length, 8-0. Depth, TS. 



Fin rays, D. 13.0; P. 12; V. 8 ; A. 10; C. 19 |. 



The specimen from which the above description was taken, was a female. It is about the 

 average size of the smaller kind of brook trout. I have never seen any exceeding fourteen 

 inches in length, but I am credibly informed of one taken on Long island, which measured 

 twenty inches in length, and weighed four and a half pounds. Those from running streams 

 are better flavored than the pond trout ; and those taken from streams to which the salt water 

 has access, are preferred to either. The latter have brighter colors exte;:nally, and their flesh 

 has more of the salmon color. 



The Brook Trout is a northern species, being found in almost all the clear running streams 

 and ponds throughout this and the northern States. I am unable to state with precision its 

 southerly range. It occurs in the head waters of the Delaware, Susquehannah and Allegany 

 rivers, but never descends into the Ohio. According to Dr. Kirtland, it is found only in two 

 small streams in the State of Ohio, viz. a small creek in Ashtabula county, and a branch of 

 Chagrin river, Geauga county, bordering upon Lake Erie. I have no infornration of its being 

 found north of the forty-seventh or south of the fortieth parallel of latitude. 



THE RED-BELLIED TROUT. 



PLATE XXXIX. FIG. 136. 

 SiLMO ERYTHROGASTER. 



Creek Trout J DouoHTY, Cabinet of Nat. Hist. Vol. 1, p. 134, pi. 13, fig. 2. 



Characteristics. Above, mottled with dark olive-green and light horn-color. Sides of the 

 abdomen reddish orange, separated by a distinct line from the pearl color 

 beneath. Tail broadly margined with bright red. Length 15 to 20 inches. 



Description. Body symmetrical, tapering. Scales very small and rounded. Lateral line 

 concave anterior to the dorsal ; the remaining part straight. Tongue with five incurved teeth 

 on each side ,- the snout with a deep notch, to receive the prominent conical knob on the lower 

 jaw. Five curved subequal teeth on the intermaxillaries ; labials with fifteen ; lower jaw 

 with sixteen on each side, and about eight on the vomer. The dorsal quadrate, slightly higher 

 than long, its origin being an inch nearer the snout than to the tip of the caudal fin. It is 



