APRIL, igio. FISHES OF CHICAGO MEEK AND HILDEBRAND. 245 



Color dark olive green above, sides yellowish, below white; a 

 blotch of yellowish before and behind dorsal; fins color of adjacent 

 parts with edges lighter. 



Length 10 to 12 inches. 



This fish inhabits rather swift running water from Virginia, the 

 Great Lakes, to Montana and Texas. 



This species deposits its eggs in June under objects in the water, 

 guarding them till hatched. It is not used for food. 



Hickory Creek, New Lenox, Illinois. 



Genus Schilbeodes Bleeker. 

 MAD TOMS. 



Body short or moderately elongate, its anterior half subcylindrical, 

 the tail compressed; adipose dorsal long and attached for its entire 

 length, continuous with caudal or separated by a notch; teeth in 

 broad bands, those of upper jaw without lateral backward extensions; 

 caudal fin rounded with numerous short rays above and below caudal 

 peduncle; a poison gland at base of pectoral fin. All of the species 

 of this genus are too small to be used for food. 



a. Pectoral spine not serrated on posterior margin; adipose fin 

 continuous with caudal; depth of body 3.8 to 4.4 in its length. 



gyrinus, 245 



aa. Pectoral spine distinctly serrated on its posterior edge ; adipose 

 fin separated from caudal by a notch; depth of body 4.6 to 6.0 

 in its length. 



b. Pectoral spine 3 in head; a light colored squarish blotch on 

 back before dorsal and a smaller crescentic one behind it. 



exilis, 246 



bb. Pectoral spine less than 2 in head; 4 saddle-like blotches on 

 back. miurus, 247 



Schilbeodes gyrinus (Mitchill). TADPOLE CAT. 



Head 3.2 to 3.9; depth 3.8 to 4.4; D. 1-6; A. 13 to 15. 



Body robust, tadpole-like in form; head large; profile steep and 

 nearly straight from snout to dorsal; jaws equal; maxillary barbels 

 scarcely reaching gill openings; diameter of eye 6.3 to 7.6 in head; 

 dorsal fin to tip of snout 2.5 to 2.9 in length of body; its spine more 

 than % height of fin; pectoral spine strong, its length 1.9 to 2.4 in 

 head, its edges smooth or the anterior with 2 or 3 obscure teeth; lat- 

 eral line imperfect, and wanting on posterior half of body. 



