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all others by the long- lower jaw, &c : Length about 

 one foot. It has a slender body of a rufous brown 

 mixed with black. It is found in the muddy streams, 

 and near the muddy banks of large rivers. Dorsal fin 

 opposite the abdominal, with one spine concealed 

 under the skin and six rays. Branchial membrane 

 apparent outside. Pecto- \6f\ ral fins with lo rays, 

 the first whereof is a long and broad flat spine, barbed 

 outwards. Tail with 20 rays. This fish can live 

 very long out of water, and is sometimes alive 24 

 hours after having been taken. 



XXIII Genus. Mudcat. Pilodictis. Pylodicte. 



Body scaleless conical flattened forwards and com- 

 pressed behind. Head very broad and flat, with 

 barbs, eyes above the head. Two dorsal fins, both 

 with soft rays. Vent posterior. 



This genus was the loth of my Prod, of 70 N. G. 

 of Animals. The name means Mudfish. It differs 

 principally from the foregoing by the second dorsal 

 having rays. 



80th Species. Toad Mudcat. Pylodictis limosus. 

 Pylodicte bourbeux. 



Lower jaw longer, eyes round, eight barbs, four 

 above and four below. Head verrucose above. 

 Body brown, clouded and dotted with yellowish, red- 

 ish, and bluish, one row of transversal black lines on 

 each side of the back. No lateral line. Tail entire 

 and truncate. 



I have not seen this fish, but describe it from a 

 drawing of Mr. Audubon. It is found in the lower 

 parts of the Ohio and the Mississippi, where it lives 

 on muddy bottoms, and buries itself in the mud in 

 the winter. It reaches sometimes the weight of 20 



