63 



Notropis gilbci'ti (Jordan & Meek). 

 A slender species with long head and caudal peduncle. Mouth lartre, almost horizontal; 

 scales befort' dorsal, 17. 



Specimens in seventeen collections have l)een referred to this species. These collections 

 are from streams in La Salle county and Macoupin county, and from tributaries of the Miss- 

 issippi river west of the Illinois basin. 

 Xdtropis: sliitnidrtJi ((Hrard). (100) 



A fish with a lars:e eve and a larfje, oblitine mouth; the head broad across tiie top. 

 Occurs from localities as follows: Wabash basin. Cedar lake, Sangamon river and trib- 

 utaries. Rock river at Erie, Illinois river at Havana, and creeks near Canton and CarlinvUle. 



Niitnipis Inalsmthts (De Witt Clinton). — Spot-tail. 



A large, pale minnow, witli a black caudal spot. 



Most commonly found in the Illinois river and tributary sloughs and lakes; also, less 

 commonly in various parts of the State near the Mississippi river, and in tributaries of Lake 

 Michigan. 

 Notrop'iK lutrensis (Baird »t Girard). — Red-fiu. 



This lish is proportionateh' deeper than any of our other minnows, with the possible 

 exception of A dri7M IS, the thickness and depth Immediately behind the head increasing with 

 age. Body opalescent and tine red; spring males highly colored; females duller in color than 

 the males. 



This species is confined to western and southern Illinois. Its eastern limits seem to be in 

 LaSalle and McLean counties. It Is exceedingly abundant in Union count>-, anil is found In 

 sluggish streams as far north as the mouth of Green river. Also found, peculiarly Isolated, in 

 Richland creek, Stephenson county. We have taken it In 117 localities. 



NotropiK ii'liippUi (Girard). — Lemon-fin; Steel-blue Minnow. 



The young of this species are distinguished with difficulty from A', hitrensis. The adults 

 are larger and more elongate than the latter, the upper and lower curves of the body being 

 gentle and quite uniform from the tip of the pomted snout to the base of the caudal fin. 

 Coloration less brilliant than in A', lutrensis: the sides and back marked otT Into diamond or 

 lozenge shaped areas bv blue lines parallel to and near the exposed edges of the scales, these 

 markings being more or less distinctive; a black spot usually present on the dorsal fin; tins 

 of the males in spring a transparent lemon yellow. 



Taken in 293 collections, from all parts of the State. Most abundant in the rapid, gravelly 

 streams in the area of the later glacial drift. Less common in the lower Illinois basin and 

 westward. 



Notropis coniutus (Mitchill). — Horned Dace; Shiner. (113) 



This species Is the gamiest of the minnows, growing to a length of about nine Inches. 

 Recognized by the great depth of the exposed edges of the scales. Spring males much 

 colored with salmon pink., and the head covered with tuliercles. 



Occurs in collections from 153 localities, but is almost wholly absent from collections 

 made between the southern Illinois hill region and the latitude of the mouth of the Illinois 

 river, this area of scarcity corresponding very well with the older glaciated area of southern 

 Illinois. In this region we have obtained but two collections, one from the Little Wabash 

 river, in Clay county, and one from a creek in eastern Wabash count>'. 



Notrapis Jrjnnus (Forbes). 



A large pale silvery minnow, without conspicious color markings; In the rounded form of 

 the scales agreeing with H\bognathits nuchalis. 



Specimens found In 49 of our collections, made principally in the Illinois River and to the 

 northwestward. Found a few times In tributaries of the Wabash and Ohio rivers in southern 

 Illinois, once in Lake Michigan, and once in Logan county. 

 Notropis atherinoides Rafinesque. 



The first fish of the genus to be named. A long thin silvery minnow, with long lower jaw 

 and oblkiue mouth. Lateral line decurved. Specimens from Lake Michigan with a very 

 lilack stripe on the side. , , 



This species and the three following are found throughout lUmois, but are not sharply 

 separated in our preliminary determinations, If indeed, that is possible. 



Notropis urge (Cope). 



Differs from A', atherinoides in the larger eye and almost straight lateral line. 

 Notropis dUcctus (Girard). 



Depth greater and mouth smaller than in X. atherinoides. 

 Notropis nihrifrons (Cope). 



Notropis umhriitiUs ((rirard). — Red-fin. (133). 

 Body short and compressed; very fine scales before the dorsal; anal fin long (rays Hi. 

 The ma"les are highly colored; body of variegated bluish, greenish, purple, and opalescent: 

 fins deep red In spring. 



Found everywhere, but occurs most commonly in large creeks and small rivers, being 

 most abundant southward. The several varieties of this species which occur in the State have 

 not yet been carefully discriminated in our collections. 



