FISHES OF NEW YORK 119 



as the head. The mouth is very small, terminal, slightly oblique; 

 the maxilla not reaching vertical through hinder nostril. The 

 dorsal origin is above, and the ventral origin below the 21st 

 scale of the lateral line. The dorsal base is two thirds as long 

 as the head; the first ray is about as long as the eye, and the 

 longest as long as the head without the snout. The ventral 

 reaches a little beyond the anal origin; its length equal to dorsal 

 base. The anal base equals nearly one half the length of head, 

 and the longest ray is as long as the dorsal base. The caudal 

 is moderate and not deeply forked. The lateral line is con- 

 tinuous on about 20 to 28 scales, and in one specimen continued 

 with interruptions almost to the caudal base. D. i, 8; A. i, 7; V. 

 8; P. 18. Scales 9-45 to 49-6; teeth 4-4. Length of specimens 

 described, 3 inches. Color in spirits light brown, top and sides 

 of head darker. A broad dark band on the base of the dorsal, 

 most distinct anteriorly and sometimes absent behind. Males 

 in spring are dusky, with black head and the snout and chin 

 with numerous coarse tubercles. 



The fathead or blackhead is an inhabitant of the Ohio valley, 

 and the Great lakes region west to Dakota and southwest to 

 Texas. It is common in sluggish brooks, and instances have 

 been known of its distribution by the action of cyclones. In 

 Pennsylvania it is common in tributaries of the Ohio. 



The U. S. Fish Commission has obtained specimens from the 

 following localities in the basin of Lake Ontario: Salt brook, 

 IJ miles above Nine Mile point, June 11, 1893; Mill creek, Sack- 

 ett Harbor, «Tuly 2, 1894; Three Mile creek, Oswego, July 27, 

 1894, where the greatest number of individuals was taken. Dr 

 Meek says it is not very common in Cayuga lake, but is easily 

 distinguished from the other minnows by its very long intes- 

 tines. 



The fathead grows to a length of 2J inches. The sexes differ 

 in color, the females being olivaceous, while the males are dusky 

 and in the spring have the head black and the snout covered 

 with numerous large tubercles. The species has no value as 

 food, but is an interesting one for the aquarium. Its food con- 

 sists of mud and algae, and it seems to prefer a muddy bottom. 



