THE CATFISH OR BULL-HEAD. 



79 



The Gaff-topsail Catfish, ^luriclitJiys marimts, which ranges from Cape 

 Cod to Florida, is found chiefly in brackish water. It is not uncommonly- 

 taken at Arlington, Florida, and Empire Point. It is known here and at 

 Pensacola as the "Sea Cat," and at Brunswick, Ga., as "Gaff-topsail," 

 in allusion to the shape of the first dorsal fin. According to Mr. H. S. 

 Williams, it is abundant in the Indian River. It is common also along 

 the Gulf coast, but is nowhere valued as food. ISIany of the fishermen 

 believe this species to be viviparous. IMr. S. C. Clarke, writing from New 

 Smyrna, March 31, 1874, remarks: "They have eggs in them as large as 

 cherries." 



THE SALT-WATER CATFISH. 



The Salt-water Catfish, ^/7//j/^//j-, is found along the coasts of the Gulf 

 of Mexico to as far north as Cape Hatteras. In the first volume of the 

 Proceedings of the United States National Museum, p. 2 78, is an interest- 

 ing account of its breeding habits, as observed by Prof. N. T. Lupton. 

 The species spawns there in July, and the parent (sex not stated) carries 

 the eggs in its mouth. Silas Stearns says of this fish : 



" The Salt-water Catfish is very abundant everywhere on the Gulf coast. 

 It is found on the sea-beaches, the shores and bottoms of bays and bayous, 

 and even some distance up fresh-water streams. It is a bottom-loving 

 fish, feeding upon worms and small crustaceans chiefly, but will readily 

 eat anything else — fish, flesh, or fowl, dead or alive, As the pest of these 

 waters, it is ever present and never welcome. It breeds in the summer, 

 in June, July, and xVugust. The spawn is deposited in the depression in 

 the sand "and impregnated with the milt. One of the parent fish then 

 takes the eggs in his mouth and by some movement fixes them against the 

 gills, or between the leaves of the gills. The eggs are carried in this 

 position until the embyro fish are hatched and have become perfect and 

 able to care for themselves. The eggs when full size resemble white 

 grapes ; they are large and clear. Sometimes the parent fish's jaws are 

 much distended by the eggs and young inside, and its appearance is 

 comical. 



