92 FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSEUM ZOOLOGY, VOL. i. 



COLLECTION MADE AT HAVANA, ILLINOIS. 



1. Lepisosteus platostomus Raf. SHORT-NOSED GAR. 



Six specimens were secured. It is a very abundant fish, and is 

 heartily and justly despised by the fishermen. It must do an 

 immense amount of damage in the way of destroying the valuable 

 food fishes. Meanwhile its slender form permits it to escape through 

 the meshes of any kind of seine that may be legally used. 



2. Amia calva Linn. BOW-FIN. DOGFISH. 



Common. Two were secured. 



3. Ictalurus punctatus (Raf.}. CHANNEL CAT. WHITE CAT, 



Two specimens. 



4. Ameiurus natalis (Le S.). YELLOW CAT. 



Three specimens; Museum numbers, 341, 342, 344. 



5. Ameiurus nebulosus (Le S.). BULLHEAD. 



Three specimens; Museum numbers, 339, 340, 343. 



6. Ameiurus melas Raf. BLACK CAT. 



One specimen; Museum number, 345. 



Of the seven specimens of the genus Ameiurus which were secured 

 at Havana, some have been assigned as above with some doubts. 

 No. 345 belongs to A. melas, in case this species is distinct from A. 

 nebulosus. It has only 19 rays in the anal fin, and the base of this 

 is contained in the length of the fish, to base of caudal fin, 4^/3 times. 

 No. 340 seems clearly to belong to A. nebulosus, its anal fin having 

 21 rays and its basis being contained in the length of the body 4| 

 times. The color of the sides of the body is nearly uniform dark 

 olive or blackish. Nos. 341, 342 and 344 appear quite as clearly to 

 belong to A. natalis. No. 341 has 23 anal rays, anal basis in the body 

 35^ times, and nearly uniform coloration. No. 342 has 25 anal rays, 

 anal basis 3|, and sides mottled with whitish. No. 344 has 25 anal 

 rays, anal basis 3)^, and nearly uniform coloration. 



Nos. 339 and 343 are most doubtful. The former has 22 or 23 

 anal rays, anal basis 37/3, coloration mottled, and the dorsal fin 

 nearer the adipose than to the snout. The latter specimen, No. 343, 

 has 22 anal rays, and basis 3^3, the coloration mottled and the dorsal 



