The Food of Fishes . 
57 
larvae, Chironomns larvae, the tube of a case-worm, a few 
fish-scales and an indeterminable aquatic beetle were 
the only objects found. 
Xenotis peltastes, Cope.* 
This beautiful little fish, hitherto taken in this State 
only in very small number from Fox R., was found quite 
abundant in the 4 4 slip” at South Chicago, in June, 1880. 
The three opened had eaten more larvae of Chironomus 
than anything else (sixty percent.). Next came sixteen 
per cent, of mollusks, then Allorchestes and Asellus, Co- 
rixa, Gyrinid larvae and a few terrestrial larvae (Chryso- 
melidae). The large percentage of Chironomus was prob- 
ably owing to the situation — a foul and muddy little bay, 
serving as a harbor for fishing boats. 
Eupomotis aureus, Walil. Pumpkin-seed. Bream. 
This species swarms in the lakes and ponds of north- 
eastern Illinois, but is much less abundant in the Illinois 
R., and in the southern part of the State is almost un- 
known. The cause of this limitation of its range is ap- 
parently climatic, as there is certainly nothing in its 
food, nor, apparently, in any of its habits, to exclude it 
from our southern waters. Indeed, I do not see that its 
place is taken by any other fish to the southward. No 
other, unless Eupomotis pallidus , resembles it in food, 
and this is too infrequent to replace it. My knowledge of 
its food is based upon the study of twenty-five specimens 
ranging from one and one-half inches upward, taken 
from the Illinois, Fox and Calumet rivers, and from 
Long, Crystal and Nipisink lakes and Lake George, in 
central and northern Illinois and Indiana. The months 
of May, June, July, August and October are represented 
by these specimens. 
Food of the Young. 
The nine smaller specimens, from one and one-lialf to 
two inches long, show at once two prominent peculiarities 
of the food. The larvae of Chironomus compose fifty-one 
* It is considered doubtful, by Dr. Jordan, if this species and the pre- 
ceding are distinct. 
