LAMPREYS AND FISHES 



long, olive colored, bluish on the sides lighted with dull silver, 

 and have a black spot at the base of the dorsal fin and another 

 at the base of the caudal fin. They frequent small streams, 

 either muddy shoals or gravelly bottoms, and they breed in 

 quiet water, two feet or so deep. The eggs have been found 

 glued on to the undersides of stones or boards and closely 

 guarded by the males. The breeding season extends through 

 late May to mid-July. 



Other names for this minnow are spotted minnow, flat- 

 head, and chub. 



Size. — 4 inches. 



Distribution. — Quebec to Dakota, southward to Alabama; 

 very common in small streams of the Alleghanies. 



Fig. 278. — Common bullhead, Ameirus nehulosus. 



Catfishes — Siluridce 



Bullheads and Catfishes. — The barbels or "whiskers" of the 

 many species of bullheads and catfishes easily distinguish 

 them from all other fresh water fishes. They are smooth 

 skinned, flat headed, large mouthed, and dull colored fishes 

 which have a knoblike, fleshy fin behind the dorsal fin. The 

 common names, bullheads and catfishes, are used interchange- 

 ably. The name stonecat is used for the members of this 

 family which can sting by means of the spine on the front 

 edge of the pectoral fin and its associated poison gland. 



There are few ponds and creeks without bullheads or cat- 

 fishes in them. The common bullhead or homed pout, Uving 



337 



