FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMAIISSION. 30q 



entirely toothless. The only teeth which they possess are on the pharyngeal bones, 

 and are known as pharyngeal teeth. 



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 one or two, 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, symmetrical. Thus, 

 •' teeth. 2,4-5,1 " indicates two rows of teeth on each side, on the one side 4 in the 

 principal row and 2 in the lesser row; on the other side 5 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 beveled 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 Fall-fish, 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 3-et others will 

 be found among the patches of aquatic vegetation. 



Though there are more than a hundred species of minnows in America and nearly 

 all of them are used to some extent as bait, not more than a dozen or fourteen are 

 usually regarded as bait minnows. In the present article only the most important 

 species have been included. It is hoped that the descriptions have been so far 

 divested of purely technical terms as to make it easy for any one who really wishes 

 to know to identify the species mentioned. In addition to the descriptions the 

 habits of each species are discussed and as much of its life history is given as seems 

 of general interest. 



While the relative values of the different species vary greatly with the locality, 

 nevertheless certain species are recognized by all anglers as particularly suitable for 

 certain game fishes and others for other game fishes, and an effort has been made to 

 point out the desirable features of the various "bait minnows" treated. 



The order of treatment is as follows : 



