COTTOIDEjE. 57 



Pennant mentions the Three-spined Stickleback as very plentiful at Hudson's 

 Bay (Arct. Zool, ii., p. 132, and Intr., p. cxci), but it did not come under my 

 notice, and as the species in that naturalist's time were but imperfectly discrimi- 

 nated, its reference to G. aculeatus must be doubtful. Hutchins speaks of Stickle- 

 backs three inches in length, which constitute food for the pike and turbot. 



[31.] 4. Gasterosteus concinnus. (Richardson.) Tiny Burnstickle. 



Uswee-atheek-asheesh. Cree Indians. 



This diminutive species, perhaps the smallest of fresh-water fishes, is found at 

 the commencement of summer in ponds and rivers, and is supposed to be washed 

 out of the lakes by the floods of melted snow which occur at that period. It ranges 

 from the Saskatchewan in lat. 53°, to the Great Bear Lake in the 65th parallel, 

 and probably through a still greater extent of country. In 1820, many sledge- 

 loads were taken from a small pond in the vicinity of Cumberland-house for the 

 purpose of feeding the dogs. Although it has a strong general resemblance to 

 G. pungitiKS, or rather Icevis of Europe, it exhibits differences which justify us in 

 considering it as a distinct species. It has a still smaller size than G. Icevis, a more 

 slender and elegant form, stronger and higher spines, and lower second dorsal and 

 anal fins, the portion of the tail behind these fins being thinner as well as longer. 



DESCRIPTION 



Of specimens taken at Great Bear Lake, lat. 64J N., and comparison with an English specimen of G. Icevis, 



belonging to Mr. Yarrell. 



Form. — Similar to that of G. Icevis, but the head smaller, being only a fourth part of the 

 total length, and the body, and especially the tail, more slender. The mouth is also smaller, 

 and the teeth, although perceptible to the touch on both jaws, are much less conspicuous than 

 those of Icevis. There are no scales whatever on the body. The lateral line is a straight 

 furrow until it passes the anal fin, when it rises into a very slender ridge that keels the tail. 

 The anus is equidistant from the snout and end of the tail : in G. Icevis it is a little farther 

 back. The abdomen is protected by a bony cuirass, formed posteriorly by the bones of the 

 pelvis, and anteriorly by two narrow cubital bones which join in an acute angle behind the 

 median insertion of the gill-membranes. In concinnus the posterior angular point of the 

 pelvic bones is narrower but stronger, and the space enclosed by the cubital bones is trian- 

 gular : in Icevis this space is triangular only towards the apex, the two bones being parallel 

 posteriorly. The smooth space between the insertion of the pectoral and the gill-opening is 

 smaller in concinnus, its nine dorsal spines are both stouter and longer, and the triangular 



I 



