FISHES OF WESTERN IOWA AND EASTERN NEBRASKA. 
135 
muddy bottom. There i.s also a dam across the stream at this point. Our collection 
was made j list below it. 
Eastern Nebraska is a considerably elevated and rolling ijrairie, containing very . 
little timber, even along its streams. Its rivers and creeks are typical prairie streams. 
The rnnning Avater in them, except in times of drought, is usually tni’bid, and their 
currents are swift, much more so than in the streams in Iowa. 
Platte River is the largest and most important stream in eastern Nebraska. At 
Fremont, Avhere visited, it is very wide and shallow, .and resembles very much the 
Missouri River. The Platte is very full of shifting sand bars, and its water has the 
same milky appearance as that of the Missouri. The Ashes taken from the Platte have 
a A^ery pale, sickly color, Avhich soon clianges to a more natural color Avhen the fishes 
are placed in clear Avater. Onr collections were made from the river and from some 
bayous near by, Avhich are connected Avith the riAmr in times of high Avater. 
Elkhorn River is one of the larger streams in eastern Nelmaska. It empties into 
the Platte a few miles below Fremont. It has a sandy and muddy bottom and a very 
swift current. Onr collections were made from the riA^er, from a bayou, and from a 
small creek between the river and Fremont. 
Blue Elver, near Crete, is someAvhat smaller than the Elkhorn, but very similar to 
it in other respects. Bine River is a tributary. of Kansas River. Our collections 
were made from both branches of the Bine River, a few miles Avest of Crete. 
Salt Creek, near Lincoln, is a small stream with usually a muddy bottom and swift 
current. Our collections are from the creek and from some large ponds, or lakes, 
near the creek and connected with it in times of high water. 
LIST OF SPECIES OBTAINED. 
1. Lepisosteus osseus (LiniiiBus). Long-nosed Gar. Common in Spirit Lake. 
2. Noturus gyrimis (Mitchill). Fonml in Platte River at Fremont, Floyd River at Leinars and Sioux 
City, and in Storm Lake. It does not ai>pear to be common at any of tliese places. 
3. Noturus flavus Rafiuesque. Found by me only in Salt Creek near Lincoln, wliere but few 
examples Avere seen. 
4. Ameiurus melas (Rafinesque). Platte and Elkliorn rivers at Fremont, Salt Creek at Lincoln, 
Floyd River at Lemars, and in Storm and Spirit lakes. Apparently not common at any of 
these places. 
5. Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque). Channel Cal. Blue River at Crete, Platte and Elkliorn rivers 
at Fremont, and Salt Creek at Lincoln. Common. 
6. Ictiobus cyprinella (Cuvier & Valeuciennes). Buffalo. One small specimen taken in the Elk- 
horn at Fremont. 
7. Ictiobirs bubalus (Raiinesqne). SmaU-mouthed Buffalo. Abundant in Floyd River below the dam 
at Sioux City. It is also found in East Okoboji Lake, where 2 or 3 small specimens were 
obtained. A^ery large buffalo fish are reported from this lake, which are probably this or 
the preceding species. 
8. Carpiodes velifer (Rafinesque). Qii.illback. This small sucker appears to be common in Bine Ri^’er 
at Crete, in the Platte and Elkhoru riA'ers, and in the Floyd RiA-er at Sioux City, below the 
dam. Dorsal rays, 24 to 30; scales in the lateral line, 36 to 41; head, 3| to 4; de 2 ith, 24 to 3. 
9. Catostoimis teres (Mitchill). Common Sucker. Aiiiiarently common in Floyd River at Lemars 
and Sioux City. 
10. Catostomus nigricans Le Sueur. Hog Sucker. At AVaterloo, Iowa, July 18, 1893, I examined 
the contents of the live box of a man Avho snjiplies live bait to the enthusiastic local anglers 
for black bass, pike, and idckerel. The box contained no fewer than 7 S 2 )ecies, viz: 2 suckers 
(tlie above and Moxostoma macrolepidotum duquesiiei), 3 minnows (Campostoma anomalnm, 
Cliola vigilax, and Abfropis ivliipplei), and 2 darters (Etheostonia caprodes and Etheostoma evides). 
All these specimens AAmi’e taken in the Cedar River at AVaterloo. (Evermauu. ) 
