FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 329 



is difficult of injury; in captivity it feeds freely and is easily kept, and on the 

 hook it is one of the most active of minnows. 



Head 4; depth 4^; eye 4; D. 8 ; A. 10; scales 5-39-3, 15 to 17 before the 

 dorsal; teeth 2,4-4,2, little hooked, one of them showing a slight grinding surface. 



Body slender, the back scarcely elevated, the caudal peduncle rather short ; head 

 rather long, the snout pointed ; mouth rather large, very oblique, the upper lip 

 above line of middle of pupil ; maxillary reaching middle of eye ; eye moderate, 

 well forward, usually shorter than the sharp snout. 



Color, olivaceous or bluish above, the edges of the scales darker ; sides silvery; 

 a dark vertebral line ; a row of small dark specks along base of anal fin ; males with 

 the snout strongly tuberculate in spring, the forehead, opercular region, and base 

 of dorsal fin flushed with red. 



This little minnow resembles Notropis atJicrinoides, but has a larger head, deeper 

 body, more brilliant coloration, and is a much smaller species. In the breeding 

 season it is a very handsome little fish. 



Red-fin, — Notropis umbratilis (Girard). 



The Red-fin occurs from central New York (Cayuga Lake) to Minnesota and 

 south to Kansas, Alabama and North Carolina. Though of wide distribution, it is 

 not found in all streams within its range. It seems to prefer the smaller, clear 

 streams. It reaches 2^ to 3^ inches in length and is a very ornate and exceed- 

 ingly variable little fish, of which several subspecies have been described. 



As a bait minnow this fish does not take high rank. It is not very abundant, nor 

 is it brightly colored except during its breeding season. Its small size is also 

 against it, and it does not live well in captivity. It is, however, a fairly good 

 minnow for the Yellow Perch and other small game fishes. 



Head 4^4;; depth 4 to 43^; eye 3 to 4 ; D. 7 ; A. 1 1 ; scales 9-40 to 52-3 ; teeth 

 2,4-4,2. 



Body compressed, the caudal peduncle long; head long, conic, pointed; mouth 

 large, moderately oblique, the premaxillaries on level of pupil, the maxillary reach- 

 ing opposite the eye ; lower jaw somewhat projecting; eye moderate, about equal to 

 snout ; scales closely imbricated, crowded anteriorly, about 30 before the dorsal ; 

 dorsal fin high, inserted about midway between ventrals and anal ; pectoral not 

 reaching ventrals, the latter reaching the vent ; caudal fin long. 



Color, dark steel-blue above, pale or silvery below; a more or less evident black 

 spot at base of dorsal in front, the fins otherwise plain ; back and sides more or less 



