58 THE FISHES OF OHIO. 



Notropis rubrifrons (Cope). 



Head 4 to 5' depth 4^ to 5^. D. 8; A. 10; scales 5 or 6-39 or 40-3, 15 

 to 17 before dorsal (Ohio specimens run a little higher, some having as high 

 as 20 before the dorsal); teeth 2, 4-4, 2. Body moderately elongate, back 

 scarcely elevated, head conic and rather pointed. Eye moderate, usually 

 shorter than snout. Resembling JV. atherinoides, from which it can be 

 readily told, in Ohio specimens at least, by the position of the dorsal fin, 

 which is inserted nearer to base of caudal than to point of snout. Above 

 clear olive, each scale dark-edged; sides and under parts silvery; a narrow, 

 coppery lateral band in life, overlying dark pigment; a narrow vertebral 

 line; a row of black dots on either side of anal fin. Males in spring with 

 head and anterior parts reddish, and sometimes the bases of dorsal, ventral 

 and pectoral fins red. Length 2% inches. 



A common and widely distributed species, found in company 

 with N. atherinoides, but much more common. Kirsch and 

 McCormick record it under the name N. dilectus (Girard), but 

 N. dilectus, as now restricted, is found farther southwest, so I 

 include these records under N. rubrifrons. Possibly the two may 

 not be distinct. Given by Jordan as abundant in southern Ohio ; 

 Hamilton County, "common in east fork of Mill creek," Hen- 

 shall, 1888; Lorain County, "common in the lake and lower 

 parts of all streams entering it," McCormick, 1892 ; St. Joseph 

 river at Kdgerton, Blanchard river at Findlay, Beaver creek at 

 Grand Rapids, "common at these places," Kirsch, 1893;: 

 Franklin County, "all larger streams with N. atherinoides, 

 abundant where found," Williamson and Osburn, 1897 > Knox 

 County, Big Jelloway creek and several of its tributaries, occa- 

 sionally observed in large schools over clear, gravelly places in 

 ripples, females with ripe eggs on May 24, Parker, Williamson 

 and Osburn, 1898 ; Ohio river at Ironton, Huron river at Milan, 

 Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie at Sandusky, Ashtabula creek, Wabash 

 river at Celina, Stillwater and Wolf creeks at Dayton, North Fork 

 of Licking river at Newark, R. C. Osburn, 1899 ; Niggermill 

 Run and Mahoning river, E. B. Williamson, 1900 ; Cuyahoga 

 river at Kent and Hawkins, Grand river at Painesville, Chagrin 

 river at Willoughby, Wheeling creek at Bridgeport, Ohio river 

 and McMahon's Run at Bellaire, outlet of Licking reservoir, 

 R. C. Osburn, 1900. 



