FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 315 



to the caudal, where it ends in a black spot; a bright silvery area between these two 

 bands; belly below the lower band abruptly silvery; females obscurely marked. 

 Males in spring with the belly and the interspace between the lateral bands bright 

 scarlet ; bases of the vertical fins also scarlet ; in high coloration the body is every- 

 where minutely tuberculate and the fins bright yellow or orange. 



This beautiful little minnow reaches a length of 2 or 3 inches, and is found in 

 clear cool brooks from Maine and the Adirondacks westward through Ohio and 

 Michigan to the Dakotas and south to Alabama. It is not an abundant fish any- 

 where and prefers the cold water of the smallest creeks and spring brooks. 



It is extremely hardy and is therefore one of the most beautiful and attractive 

 fishes for the aquarium. Its tenacity of life, together with its great activity, makes 

 it one of the best of bait minnows. It lives well in the minnow pail, takes food 

 readily, and displays the greatest activity when on the hook. The only serious 

 objections to it are its scarcity and its small size. However, for the smaller Black 

 Bass, Rock Bass, Crappie and large Yellow Perch, the Red-bellied Dace is an excel- 

 lent minnow to use. 



In the State of New York I have seen this species only in the outlet of Rock 

 Pond, near Axton. 



^^Ictnt-nOSed I\mr\.OU ,— Pimepkales notatus (Rafinesque). 



The body of this minnow is rather elongate, moderately com.pressed, and not ele- 

 vated in front ; head rather short, the nose convex and blunt ; top of head depressed 

 and cheeks vertical ; mouth small, inferior and horizontal ; fins small, the dorsal with 

 9 rays, the first being distinct and spine-like in the male but slender in the female ; 

 anal with 7 rays ; caudal fin short ; scales 6-45-4, nioderate, deep, closely imbricated, 

 those in front of the dorsal fin small and crowded, in about 23 rows. 



Color, olivaceous, little silvery; side sometimes bluish; a black spot on the dorsal 

 fin in front near its base ; a dusky shade at base of caudal, and a dusky band some- 

 times along middle of side ; fins often reddish ; males in spring with the black on 

 the dorsal more extended and the head wholly black or bluish-black ; snout covered 

 with numerous large tubercles. 



The genus PimepJialcs contains but 2 or 3 species, collectively known as Fat-heads. 

 The one here described is the only one of much importance as a bait minnow. It is 

 usually known as the Blunt-nosed Minnow or the Bullhead Minnow. It reaches a 

 length of 4 inches and is found from Quebec to Delaware and west to the Dakotas, 

 Arkansas and Alabama. It is generally abundant in small streams west of the 

 Alleganies and in the small lakes of the upper Mississippi basin it is one of the 

 most common species. At Lake Maxinkuckee, Indiana, it is the best and most 



