6y 



ral fins with 10 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 

 liaving been taken. 



XXIII Genus. Mudcat. PIlodictis. Pylodicte. 



Body scaleless conical flattened forwards and compressed be- 

 hind. Head very broad and flat, with barbs, eyes above the 

 head. Two dorsal fms, both with soft rays. Vent posterior. 



This genus was the 10th of my Prod, of 70 N. G. of Ani- 

 mals. The name means Mudfish. It differs principally from 

 the foregoing by the second dorsal having rays. 



80th Species. Toad Mudcat. Pylodictis limosiis. Py. 

 lodicte bourbeux. 



Lower jaw longer, eyes round, eight barbs, four above and 

 foui' below. Head verrucose above. Body brown, clouded 

 and dotted with yellowish, redish, and bluish, one row of trans- 

 versal 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^ In is found in the lower parts of the Ohio and 

 in the Mississippi, where it lives on muddy bottoms, and buries 

 itself in the mud in the winter. It reaches sometimes the weight 

 of 20 pounds. It bears the name of Mudcat, Mudfish, Mud- 

 sucker, af»d Toadfish. It is good to eat and bites at the hook. 

 The head is broader than the body and with a very large mouth; 

 the barbs appear to lay in four pairs, two above, longer and 

 near the nostrils, and two smaller under the lower jaw. The 

 first dorsal fins triangular and above the abdominals, which are 

 nearer th« pectorals than to the anal. Second elongate witli 

 many rays. Number of rays unnoticed. 



XXIV Genus. Backtail. Noturus Noture. 



Difference from G. Pimelodus^ S. G. Ictaluriis^ and Sect. 

 Ameiurus'. Adipose dorsal fin very long, decurrent and united 

 "with the tail, which is decurrent on each side, but unconnected 

 with the anal fin. 



Genus 18th of the Prodr. N. G. It differs from the genus 

 Flotosus of Lacepede by having the anal fin free, and from 

 Pimclociiis by the connection of the tail with the second dorsal 



