234 Fishes of the Ohio 



ponds and rivers of the Atlantic States under the same name, 

 but from locality, assumes some variety of form and colors, 

 and also attains a greater size in the large Western Lakes, 

 than in any other part of the country. Those taken in the 

 Ohio are generally of a smaller size. 



Anguilla. Cuv. 

 A. lutea. Raf. The Yellow Eel. 



Anguilla lutea. Raf. Ichthy. Ohien. p. 78. 

 " laticauda. Raf. Ichthy. Ohien. p. 77. 



Plate XI. Fig. 2. 



Head flattened, abruptly elevated behind the eyes, ventri- 

 cose beneath the throat : jaws short, furnished with numer- 

 ous minute teeth, clustered and extending upon the anterior 

 part of the vomer : lower jaio projecting : eyes small, situa- 

 ted above the angles of the mouth. 



Body cylindric, elongate and fusiform, covered with mi- 

 nute oval-oblong scales, evident to the naked eye only when 

 the skin is dessicated. Vent anterior to the middle of the 

 body : lateral line commences before the pectoral fins and 

 is flexuous above that fin. 



Pectoral fill small, obovate-falcate ; with about 15 rays. 



Dorsal^ caudal and anal fins continuous and uninterrupt- 

 ed, wider above and near the tip of the body, acuminate at 

 the extremity. The dorsal commences anterior to the anal, 

 and immediately behind the vent ; numerously rayed. 



Length from 2 to 3 feet. The specimen from which the 

 drawing was made was 2 feet 9 inches long ; 5 inches in cir- 

 cumference at the commencement of the dorsal fin and 4 | 

 inches behind the base of the pectorals. From the tip 

 of the lower jaw to the base of the pectoral fin, 4 inches ; 

 and from the last point to the vent, 11 inches. 



Color. Yellowish-brown on its sides and back, and whitish 

 on the belly ; the two colors meeting abruptly on the sides of 

 the abdomen. 



Habitat. Ohio and its larger tributaries. 



