FISHES OF NEW YORK 289 



next mentioned, it is hardy and interesting in the aquarium. 

 The name mud minnow relates to a singular habit of the fish of 

 burrowing into the mud when the water evaporates out of a 

 pond. It has been related that this fish has been plowed up in 

 ponds and swamps which have become dried out. Prof. Baird 

 has recorded the following fact about this species. '^ A locality 

 which with the water perfectly clear, will appear destitute of fish 

 will perhaps yield a number of mudfish on stirring up the mud 

 on the bottom and drawing a seine through it. Ditches on the 

 plains of Wisconsin or mere bog holes affording lodgment 

 to nothing beyond tadpoles may thus be found full of 

 m e 1 a n u r a s." 



The mud minnow shipped from Caledonia N. Y. by James 

 Annin jr in wet moss has survived a 12 hours' journey; but it 

 has never proved hardy either in balanced tanks or in running 

 water. This is remarkable, because there is evidence to prove 

 that the species can endure alternate freezing and thawing with- 

 out permanent injury. 



146 Umbra pygmaea (De Kay) 

 Striped Mud Minnow 



Leuciscvs pygmiaeiis De Kay, N. Y. Fauna, Fishes, 214, pi. 42, fig. 134, 

 1842, Tappan, Rockland Co., N. Y.; Stoeek, Syn. Fish. N. A. 162, 1846. 



Fundulus fuscus Ayres, Bost. Jour. Nat. Hist. IV, 296, pi. XIII, fig. 2, 1844, 

 Brookhaven, Long Island. 



Melamira annulata Agassiz. Amer. Jour. Sei. Arts, 135, 1854. 



Umbra pygmaea Jokdan, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. X, 53, 1877; Bean, Fishes 

 (Penna. 88, 1803; Jordan & Evermann, Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. Mus. 624, 

 1896, pi. XCIX, fig. 268, 1900; Mearns, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 

 X, 317, 1898. 



Umbra limi pygmaea Blatciiley, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 13, 1885. 



Melanura pygmaea Bean, Bull. U. S. F. C. VII, 147, 1888. 



The body of the mud minnow is oblong, robust; its greatest 

 depth is contained slightly more than four times in the total 

 length without the caudal and not equal to length of head. The 

 snout is short ; eye moderate about equal to snout, four and one 

 half in head. Cardiform teeth on premaxillaries, lower jaw, 

 vomer and palatine bones. The gill openings are very wide, the 

 rakers short and rather numerous; jaws short, gape of mouth 



