174 NORTHERN FISHES 



BLUE CATFISH (Great Forktail Cat) 

 Ictalurus jurcatus jurcatus (Valenciennes) 



This catfish is distinguished by its bluish or slaty-gray back, the color 

 fading to silver white on the belly, and has no spots. The anal fin has 

 30 to 35 rays. The blue catfish is by far the largest catfish found in 

 American waters. It ranges from Kansas and Minnesota eastward 

 through the Ohio Valley and southward to the Gulf and northeastern 

 Mexico. In the Upper Mississippi it is believed to be more or less 

 migratory in habits, occurring most frequently during the summer 

 months when the water is warmest and no doubt moving south with 

 the advent of cold weather. 



The blue catfish formerly occurred in the Mississippi River and larger 

 tributaries from Minneapolis southward. It is now very rare in Minne- 

 sota waters, and no specimens have been taken in recent years. A very 

 large catfish weighing 160 pounds from the Minnesota River at Hanley 

 Falls is probably this species. 



Jordan and Evermann (1905) stated that in spite of the popular 

 prejudice to the contrary, the flesh of this catfish is of excellent quality, 

 firm and flaky, of a very dehcious flavor, nutritious to a high degree, and 

 always commands a fair price. In some localities on the Lower Missis- 

 sippi it is highly esteemed as a food fish. It is usually caught on setlines 

 during the night, with minnows and crayfishes as bait. 



GENUS Ameiunis Rafinesque 



BULLHEADS (Horned Pouts) 



There are four species in this genus, distributed from the Gulf of 

 Mexico through the eastern United States and into the Arctic drainage. 

 Members of this genus are moderate in size and are characterized by 

 a square or slightly rounded caudal fin, yellowish, mottled, or blackish 

 coloration, and mud-loving habits. When skinned or dressed their 

 flesh is reddish or pink, in contrast to the white flesh of the other cat- 

 fishes. They can inhabit lakes so shallow and weed-grown that few, if 

 any, other fishes can exist there. It is not unusual for these shallow 

 lakes to freeze almost solid, yet we find at least some of the bullheads 

 surviving. At low temperatures these fishes can endure lower oxygen 

 conditions than most other fishes. With regard to their hardihood, 

 Forbes and Richardson (1908) said: "These fishes will five where no 

 others can survive, and when the air supply is bad far past the point 

 of supporting life in ordinary fishes, they have merely to come leisurely 

 to the surface and renew the supply in their swim-bladders. In the late 

 fall they become sluggish and cease feeding, often 'mudding up,' or 

 burying themselves more or less in soft leafy ooze along shore. They 

 will lie dormant in the mud at the bottom of dried-out shallows for 



