17 



Notropis blennius (Girard). — Straw-colored Minnow. (103) 



A very plain minnow, wliolly without otrikinfir color-marks. Scales faintly ed^ed with 

 dark brown; a brown mid-dorsal stripe, which is broader at the base of the dorsal fin than 

 elsewhere. MuzEle decurved; mouth almost horizontal. 



A common species, quite regrularly distributed throuehout the State. Occurs in 174 

 collections. 



Notropis scylla (Cope). (105) 



Very much like the precedingr. but with short stout body, blunt head, and rather small 

 mouth. 



Rare in Illinois. Specimens in six collections, from central and western Illinois, have 

 been referred to this species. 



Notropis gilberti Jordan & Meek. 



A slender species, with loner head and caudal peduncle. Mouth large, almost horizontal; 

 scales before dorsal, 17. 



Specimens in 17 collections have been referred to thi3 species. These collections are from 

 streams ia LaSalle couaty and Maeoupiu county, and from tributaries of the Mississippi 

 River west of the Illinois basin. 



Notropis shumardi (Girard). (106) 



A fish with a large eye and a large oblique mouth; the head broad across the 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 Car 

 linville. 



Notropis htidsonius (De Witt Clinton). — Spot-tail. 



A large pale minnow, with 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. 



Notropis lutrensis (Baird & Girard). — Red-fin. 



This fish is proportionately deeper than any of our other minnows, with the possible ex- 

 ception of 4 ftrawts. the thickness and depth immediately behind the head increasing with 

 age. Body opalescent and fins 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 county, and is 

 found in sluggish streams as far north as the mouth of Green River. Also found, peculi- 

 arly Isolated, In Richland Creek, Stephenson county. We have taken it in 117 localities. 



Notropis whipplii (Girard). — Lemon-fin; Steel-blue Minnow. 



The yoHug of this species are distinguished with difficulty from If. lutrensis. 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 pointed snout to the base of the caudal fin. 

 Coloration less brilliant than in iV^. ZMire«s»s,- the sides and back marked off into diamond 

 or lozenge-shaped areas by 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; fins 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 cornutus (Mitchill). — Horned Dace; Shiner. (113) 



This species is the gamiest of the minnows, growing to a length of about 9 inches. Rec- 

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

 with salmon-pink, and the head covered with tubercles. 



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 south- 

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

 bash River, in Clay county, and one from a creek in eastern Wabash county. 



—2 



