American Bait Minnows 



The pharyngeal bones can be removed by inserting a pin or 

 small hook through the gill-opening, under the shoulder-girdle. 

 The bone may then be carefully cleaned with a tooth-brush, and 

 when dry, examined with a hand-lens and the teeth easily made 

 out. In most cases the teeth will be found to be in two rows, 

 the principal row containing 4 or 5 teeth, and the other row 

 having but i or 2, which are usually smaller. There is, of 

 course, a pharyngeal bone on each side, and both must usually 

 be examined. The 2 sides are usually, but not always, sym- 

 metrical. Thus, "teeth 2,4-5,1" indicates two rows of teeth on 

 eacli side, on the one side 4 in the principal row and 2 in the 

 lesser row; on the other side 3 in the main row and i in the 

 other. "Teeth 4-4" means a single row of 4 teeth on each 

 pharyngeal bone. 



In many of our minnows the teeth, or the principal ones, are 

 "raptatorial," — that is, hooked inward at the tips. A grinding 

 or masticatory surface is an excavated space or groove, usually 

 at the base of the hook. Sometimes the grinding surface is very 

 narrow and confined to i or 2 teeth. Sometimes a bevelled or 

 flattened edge looks so much like a grinding surface as to mislead 

 a superficial observer. In some cases the edge of the tooth is 

 serrate or crenate. 



Minnows are found in all sorts of places. Certain species, as 

 the spot-tailed shiner, are confined chiefly to lakes ; others, as 

 the fallfish, are found in the larger streams ; still others, 

 as the creek chub, are found in the smaller streams. In any 

 given stream certain species will be found to frequent the swiftly- 

 flowing waters or the riffles and gravel-bars; others seek the 

 deeper, quiet pools; while yet others will be found among the 

 patches of aquatic vegetation. 



Collecting bait viiiinows : There are, of course, all sorts of 

 ways for collecting or securing bait minnows. The great majority 

 of anglers are doubtless in the habit of depending upon local 

 dealers for bait. Every important fishing resort has one or more 

 persons who are in the business and from whom live minnows 

 may be obtained at prices varying from 25 cents to $2.00 a dozen. 

 And there are dealers who keep nothing but desirable minnows, 

 but the average man who handles live bait is not so particular, 

 and in his live-box may be found all sorts of small fish, and some 



