FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



347 



with numerous quite narrow, ill-defined silvery bars, made up of silvery spots ; 

 most distinct posteriorly ; besides these are numerous conspicuous white or yellow 

 spots, irregularly scattered ; vertical fins dark, with numerous small, round pale 

 spots ; dorsal often with a blackish spot on its last ray ; anal and ventrals yellow 

 anteriorly ; under side of head yellow ; young males with alternate bars of dark 

 and silvery, the former becoming in time the ground color, and the dorsal ocellus 

 more distinct ; female nearly plain olivaceous, lighter below, without spots or bars, 

 the scales finely punctate; side often with about 15 dark crossbars or shades; 

 young, especially young females, with more or less distinct dark crossbands, these 

 always present in the very young, in females narrower than the interspaces, in 

 males much broader and less numerous. 



(ira.'^^bQ.Cl^, — Fiindiiliis diaphaiius (Le Sueur). 



The Grayback or Fresh-water Killifish, is found from Maine to the Carolinas, and 

 westward to ^Minnesota and the Dakotas. It is abundant in most all the small lakes 

 of New York, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and is a familiar fish to all 



GRAYBACK ; MALE. 



observing persons who frequent any of those waters. It usually goes in schools of 

 considerable size and is oftenest seen in shallow water near the shore when the 

 bottom is of sand or fine gravel. They swim high in the water, even at the surface, 

 and are, like some of their less abundant relatives, not infrequently called top- 

 minnows. They reach a length of 3 or 4 inches and are a very interesting and 

 attractive little fish. 



As a bait minnow they are chiefly valuable on account of the ease with which 

 they may be obtained and their tenacity of life. They live well in confinement, 

 whether in the aquarium, live-box, minnow-pail or on the hook, and are active, ener- 

 getic little fellows, making up in activity and movement what they lack in attractive 



