OYPRiNiD^. — cvin. 281 



wanting; stomach without appendages, appearing as a 

 simple enlargement of the intestines. 



Small fishes of the fresh waters of the Old World and 

 of North America. Genera about one hundred and fifty, 

 species seven hundred to one thousand; excessively- 

 abundant where found, both in individuals and in species, 

 and from their great uniformity in size, form and color- 

 ation, constituting one of the most diificult groups in all 

 Natural History in which to distinguish species. Ours 

 are mostly of smaller size than those of the Old World, 

 several of the larger European types being represented 

 in America by Gatostomoid forms. Our largest species, 

 Semotilus bullaris, rarely attains a weight of three or 

 four pounds, and a length of nearly eighteen inches. 

 The smaller SCyhopses and Hemitremice scarcely reach 

 a length of two inches. 



The spring or breeding dress in many genera is 

 peculiar. Often the top of the head, and sometimes the 

 whole dorsal region also, is covered in the males with 

 rows of spinous tubercles, outgrowths from the epider- 

 mis, and usually the skin of the muzzle is then swollen and 

 charged with pigment. In S&motilus and Ceratichthys 

 these tubercles are quite large and cover the front and 

 si'des of the Head; in Pimephales and Hyiorhynchm 

 they are placed entirely on the front of the obtuse snout; 

 in Gampostoma the whole dorsal region, and sometimes 

 the whole body, is rough with large tubercles; in Lum- 

 lus, Cliola, Lythrurus, Telestes, and Minnilus, the 

 prickles are quite small and crowded on the upper sur- 

 face of the head and neck. 



In some genera, the males in spring are adorned with 

 bright tints of red, which give these little fishes a 

 temporary brilliancy scarcely surpassed even by Trouts 

 or Darters. In Zuxilus, Zythrums, Gampostoma and 



