136 ICHTHYOLOGIA O HI ENS IS 



beginning of the anal. Space between those fins and 

 the tail attenuated. Tail or caudal fin four inches 

 long, oblong oboval, entire obtuse, base obliqual, the 

 lower part decurrent, with twelve rays, the upper 

 one serrated, yellowish olivaceous spotted with small 

 unequal brown spots. Lateral line concealed under 

 the scales, hardly visible outside. This fish bears 

 (together with the following) the names of Gar, Gar- 

 fish, Alligator Gar, Alligator fish, Jack or Gar Pike, 

 &c. and on the Mississippi the French names of 

 Brocheteau, Picancajt, Poisson caymon, &c. 



87th Species. White Garfish. Lepisosteus Albus. 

 Lepisoste blanc. 



Jaws nearly equal, as long as the head, about 

 one eighth of total length, and very broad; body 

 cylindrical and white, fins olivaceous unspotted, tail 

 obtuse oblong, lateral line obsolete. 



This fish resembles very much the foregoing, and 

 has the general shape of a Pike. It is covered all 

 over with white shining obliqual elliptical smooth 

 and convex scales. It reaches the length of six feet, 

 and is often called Garpike or Pike-gar. [III. 170] 

 It is a rare fish in the Ohio. Jaws shorter and 

 broader than in the foregoing, breadth one fourth of 

 the length. 



88th Species. Ohio Garfish, Lepisosteus oxyurus. 

 Lepisoste oxyure. 



\y4\ Upper jaw longer, longer than the head, one 

 sixth of total length, flat and narrow: body cylin- 

 drical olivaceous brown above, white beneath : dorsal 

 fin with eight rays, anal fin with ten, abdominal 

 with six, lanceolate acute, spotted with black ; lat- 

 eral line straight, but raised upwards at the base. 



This is a very distinct species by the shape of the 



