55 



A singular species which I have never seen. I describe it* 

 from a drawing of Mr. Audubon. It is found in tlie lower 

 part of the Ohio, and is called Buflfalo Carp, Buffalo perch > 

 Buffalo Sucker, White Buffalo-fish, he. Length about one 

 foot Very good to eat. Taken with the seine in the spring on- 

 ly. Body broad, dorsal fin broad and large, remarkable by its 

 shape like a double sickle, and first ray which reaches the tail. 

 Anal fin small and falcate. Pectoral fins reaching the abdomi- 

 nal fins. The number of abdominal rays was not observed, if 

 it should have nine it would be nearer to C. Velifer and C. seto- 

 snsj or it may form a peculiar subgenus. 



The C. tuberculatus of Lesueur belongs also to this subge- 

 nus, having eight abdominal rays; but its tail is regularly bifid, 

 2d Subgenus Ictiobus. 

 Body nearly cylindrical. Dorsal fin elongated, abdominal 

 fins with nine rays, tail bilobed, commonly equal. 



The C. gibboaus and C. Communis, oi Lesueur, appear to be 

 intermediate between this subgenus and the foregoing, having 

 nme abdominal rays, but an unequal bilobed tail. 



55th Species. Brown Buffalo-fish Catostomus bubalus^ 

 Catostome bubale. 



Diameter one fifth of the total length; ©livaceous brown, pale 

 beneath, fins blackish, pectoral fins brown and short: h-ead slo- 

 ping, snout rounded, cheeks whitish: lateral line straight, dor- 

 sal fin narrow with 28 equal rays, anal trapezoidal v/ith 12 rays. 

 One of the finest fishes of the Ohio, common also in the 

 Mississippi, Missouri, and then- tributary streams. It is called 

 every where Buffalo-fish, and Pi :oneau, by the French settlers 

 of Louisiana. I had called it Aviblodon bubalus in my 70 N. 

 G. of American Animals, having been misled by the commoa 

 mistake which ascribed to it the teeth of the Amblodon grunni- 

 ens; but it is a real Caiostc7}ius, \\liho\n any such teeth. Length 

 from two to three feet; some have been taken weighing thir- 

 ty pounds and upwards. It is commonly taken v.ith the dart 

 at night when asleep, or in the seine; it does not readily bite at 

 the hook. It feeds on smaller fishes and sh» lis, and often goes= 

 in shoals. It retires into deep water in the tvinter, yet is some] 

 tin\es taken even tiien. It comes as far as Pittsburgh. Its flesh 



