308 REPORT OF THE 



from 2 or 3 to 30 or more species of this family. The streams of the Upper Missis- 

 sippi basin are most abundantly supplied ; .not only are there numerous species, but 

 individuals abound. In the Wabash basin alone not fewer than 30 different species 

 are found. 



Though most of the minnows are species whose individuals attain only a small 

 size, this is not true of all members of the family. While our largest minnows in 

 the Eastern States rarely reach a length of more than a foot or 18 inches, there are 

 species in the West, particularly in the Colorado and Columbia rivers, which attain a 

 length of 4 to 5 feet and a weight of many pounds. And they are as true minnows 

 as are any of our small species. The term "minnow" does not mean a small fish 

 or a young fish, but it means a member of the CyprinidcB family of fishes, whatever 

 may be its size. The proper name for young fish is fry. 



It is not difficult to determine whether a fish belongs to the Cyprinidce or not. 

 The characters of the family may be briefly stated as follows: 



Head naked, body covered with smooth, cycloid scales ; 2 or 4 barbels 

 present in a few genera, absent in most of our species, and not large in any ; 

 belly usually rounded, never serrated ; no adipose fin ; dorsal fin short in all 

 American species ; ventral fins abdominal ; air-bladder usually large, usually divided 

 into 2 parts; stomach without appendages, appearing as a simple enlargement of 

 the intestines. 



Our genera are mostly very closely related and are separated by characters which, 

 although reasonably constant, are often of slight structural importance. All the 

 species spawn in the spring and early summer and the spring or breeding dress of 

 the male is often peculiar. The top of the head, and often the fins and other parts 

 of the body are covered with small tubercles, outgrowths from the epidermis. The 

 fins and lower portions of the body are often charged with bright pigment, the pre- 

 vailing color of which is red, although in some genera it is satin-white, yellow, or 

 even black. 



Young Cyprinidtv are usually more slender than adults of the same species, and 

 the eye is always much larger. The young also frequently show a black lateral 

 stripe and caudal spot which the adult may not possess. The fins and scales are 

 often,- especially in individuals living in small brooks or in stagnant water, covered 

 with round black specks, which are immature trematodes and should not be mis- 

 taken for true color markings. 



No progress can be made in the identification of minnows without very careful 

 attention to the teeth, as the genera are largely based on dental characters. The 

 minnows have no teeth in the mouth, the jaws, tongue, vomer and palatines being 



