NOTROPIS 149 



sometimes grows to a length of eight inches, it is usually too small 

 to be of importance as a pan-fish, but Dr. Henshaw recommends i't 

 as the best live bait for black bass. 



NOTROPIS PILSBRYI Fowler 



Fowler, 1904, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., LVI, 245-247. 



Pishes intermediate between those forms typified in Illinois by N. 

 comutus on the one hand and N. atherinoides and rubrifrons on the other, 

 and possessing resemblances to both. Readily distinguished from the 

 first by the rounded and loosely imbricated scales of the sides and by the 

 backward insertion of the dorsal fin, and from the latter by the difference 

 in general proportions (the present species being much shorter and 

 deeper), and by the presence (as in N. comutus) of a broad dark streak 

 along the mid-dorsal line. 



Length 2f inches; form robust, the body deep in front of dorsal and 

 moderately compressed; back elevated, the upper and lower outlines 

 tapered evenly to the tip of the pointed snout, much as in Hybognathus 

 nuchalis ; depth 4 to 4 . 4 in length ; caudal peduncle but little shorter than 

 head, more slender than in N. comutus, its depth 2 . 3 to 2 . S in its length. 

 Color in life not known; in spirits, a dusky olive above, the scales rather 

 densely specked over their entire surface and not distinctly dark-edged ; 

 sides below lateral line and belly silvery, unspecked; a broad dusky band 

 along side, interrupted on opercle and in eye (in preserved specimens), 

 but faintly apparent before eye to end of snout, 'tipping chin ; a broad and 

 distinct dark vertebral streak; dorsal and lower fins pale; caudal some- 

 what dusky. Head conical, 4 to 4.3 in length, the muzzle pointed and 

 profile slightly angled at nape ; width of head 2 to 2 . 1 in its length ; inter- 

 orbital space nearly flat, 2.9 to 3.1 in head; eye 3.4 to 3.5 in head, 

 slightly less than snout; nose 3.3; mouth rather large, oblique, tip of 

 upper lip above lower margin of orbit; maxillary longer than eye, 2 . 8 in 

 head, barely reaching front of orbit; jaws subequal; isthmus less than 

 pupil. Teeth 2, 4-4, 2, compressed and hooked, the grinding surface 

 developed as an extremely narrow groove on at least two of the teeth; 

 peritoneum densely and coarsely specked with brown. Dorsal fin with 8 

 rays, inserted distinctly behind ventrals, its first ray farther from muzzle 

 than base of caudal; longest dorsal ray 1 . 3 to 1 . S in head ; anal rays 9 or 

 10; pectorals § to ventrals, 1.3 in head; ventrals quite reaching vent. 

 Scales 6, 37 or 38, 3 or 4, large, cycloid and loosely imbricated, not 

 notably deeper than long on sides and not crowded anteriorly ; the rows 

 appearing to "run out" on back behind dorsal as in N. comutus; lateral 

 line decurved anteriorly, complete; IS scales before dorsal fin. 



Sexual differences not known, the three specimens from Illinois 

 which were taken on May 30 (1901; Ac. No. 28174) being males 

 with sexual organs considerably developed but without tubercles. 



(ii) 



