70 PEELIMINAKY KEPOET 



iEtheostouia lowae Jordan & Meek. 



Color in life bright green, much mottled with dark brown; green 

 patches on the opercle; about 11 reddish spots on the sides; a 

 series of dark cross bars present on the sides of some specimens. 

 Spinous dorsal with reddish, greenish and bro^vh longitudinal 

 bands; caudal and pectoral fins often with yellow and green spots; 

 a black line below the eye extending to the lower jaw; general 

 color varying considerably, some specimens being almost black, 

 while others are quite light. Body elongate, not much compressed; 

 snout rather pointed, decurved, its 1 ength generally a little less 

 than the width of the eye; mouth small, horizontal, the lower jaw 

 not projecting beyond the upper; maxillay bones reaching beyond 

 the front of the eye. Teeth small; opercular spine well developed. 

 Head contained 3 4-5 to 4 times in the length. Depth 4 to 5^. Eye 

 4 to 5 in the head. Dorsal fin. IX to X-10 or 11. Anal II, 6 to 8. 

 Scales 5-55 to 63-11, present on the cheeks, opetcles and back of 

 the neck; breast and top of the head naked. Length 2 to 3 inches. 



Very common ii^ the state. Numerous specimens have been 

 taken from the Upper Minnesota Eiver and tributaries (Woolman 

 & Gox, 1892) ; Red Lake River at Crookston (Woolman, 1892, Report 

 tF. S. Fish Comm., 1893); Upper Mississippi and tributaries (Nat. 

 Hist. Siirv., 1892-5); West Okabena Lake at Worthington and DeS 

 Moines Rivej- at.Windojn (Cox, 1894). 



Etheostoma coeruleum Storer. Blue Darter. Eainbow DjJrter. Soldier Fish. 



The males with many dark blotches on the back, these connected 

 by dark lines or spots; sides with 12 bright blue, oblique bats;, 

 caudal fin orange, the first and last rays,blue; soft dorsal orange^' 

 edged with blue, a blue line at its base; spinous dorsal orange, red 

 at the base, blue at the tip; ventral fins deep blue; throat and 

 breast orange. The females were very much duller in color and 

 with very little blue or red. Body rather stout, compressed, back 

 a little elevated; head large, compressed; mouth , oblique, lower 

 jaw not reaching beyond the upper, maxillary reaching the eye; a 

 row of palatine teeth , present. ' Sead contained 3| times in the 

 length. Depth 4|.^ Eye 4 to 4^ in the head, not as wide as the 

 length of the snout. Dorsal fin IX to XII-12 to 14. Anal II, 7 or 

 8. Scales 5-40-10; cheeks, back of the neck and breast usually 

 naked, opercles scaled; Length 2^ inches. 



Not common in the state. The only specimens known were 

 taken from the Blue Earth River and ponds near the Minnesota 

 River at Mankato (Cox, 1891). 



