UMBRID^. — XXXVIII. 87 



92. GAMBUSIA Poey 



(From the Cuban word Gamhusino, which signifies nothing, with 

 the idea of a joke or farce. Thus people say, " one fishes for Gam- 

 businos," when he catches nothing. Poey.) 



211. G. patruelis (Baird & Girard). Top-Minnow. Body 

 plump ; tail rather long ; snout broad ; eye about 3. Olivaceous, 

 usually a dark streak along upper part of side ; a blackish area be- 

 low eye, usually distinct; D. and C. mostly with dark cross-streaks; 

 usually a dusky blotch on sides in females (the dark interior show- 

 ing through translucent skin) ; small specimens often uniform yel- 

 lowish. Head 3f ; depth 3{ to 4. D. 7 to 9. Scales 28-7. L. 2^ 

 9- (? 1. Very abundant in all lowland waters from the Poto- 

 mac to 111. and the Rio Grande. The males are scarce and very 

 small, the anal process about as long as head. The young are born 

 at the length of about ^ inch, in the spring. The gravid females 

 are recognized without difficulty, the others are easily mistaken for 

 Zygonectes, and have been repeatedly described as such. (Lat., 

 cousin.) 



Family XXXVIII. UMBEID^. (The Mud-minnows.) 



Body formed as in Fundulus ; head large, flattened above ; 

 mouth moderate, the premaxillaries not protractile, the maxillaries 

 forming lateral margin of upper jaw ; jaws, vomer, and palatines 

 with villiform teeth ; gill openings wide ; gill rakers obsolete ; 

 scales cycloid on head and body ; no lateral line ; C. rounded ; P. 

 narrow. Intestinal canal without caeca; air bladder simple. Ovi- 

 parous, sexes similar. Carnivorous fishes living in mud in the clear 

 waters of sluggish streams and ponds in cool regions, extremely 

 tenacious of life. One genus with 2 species. Umbra crameri of 

 Austria and U. limi. 



" A locality which, with the water perfectly clear, will appear 

 destitute of fish, will perhaps yield a number of mud fish on stir- 

 ring up the mud at the bottom and drawing a seine through it. 

 Ditches in the prairies of Wisconsin, or mere bog-holes, apparently 

 affording lodgment to nothing beyond tadpoles, may thus be found 

 filled with Mud-minnows." {Baird.) 



93. UMBRA (Kramer) MUUer. (Lat., shade.) 



212. U. limi (Kirtland). Mud-minnow. Dog-fish. Ventrals 

 slightly before D. ; A. much smaller than D. The typical form 

 (Great Lakes and W.) is dull olive green, with about 14 narrow 

 pale bars, faint in young ; black caudal bar faint ; lower jaw pale ; 

 the Eastern form, var. pygmsea DeKay (Conn, to N. C), with 

 narrow pale lengthwise streaks instead of bars; dark caudal bar 



