7^ 



Gar. I suspect however that there are more than ten species 

 of these fishes in the United States, and many others in South 

 America, See. The Gars of the Ohi© partake ot the inclina- 

 tions and properties of the Pikes; but they are still more dan- 

 gerous and voracious. Their ilesli may be eaten: but is often 

 rejected owing to the difficulty of skianing them, the operation 

 may however be performed by splitting the skin beneath in zig- 

 zag. Their scales are very singular, they are not embricated 

 as in all other fishes; but lay over the skin in oblique rows, and 

 are as hard as bones. They have many other peculiarities in 

 common which have been stated by Cuvicr^ or may bo collec • 

 ted from thej^following descriptions. 



I Subgenus. Cylindrosteus. 



Body cylindrical, dorsal fin beginning behind the anal fin. 

 The name means bony cylinder. 



86th Species. Duckbill Garfish. Le^isosteus p-latosto- 

 fhus, Lepisoste platostome. 



Jaws nearly equal, as long as the head, about one ninth of to- 

 tal length, and flattened; body cylindrical olivaceous brown a- 

 bove, white beneath; fins vdlowish, dorsal and anal spotted with 

 eight rays, abdominal fins with seven rays, tail obtuse oboval 

 and spotted with brown; lateral line nearly obsolete. 



This species is not uncommon in the Ohio, Miami, Scioto^ 

 Wabash, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Cumberland, Sec. 

 and other tributary streams. It reaches the length of four feet. 

 It is taken wdth the seine, the hook, and even with the gig ©r 

 harpoon. It is found as far as Pittsburgh and in the Alleghany 

 River. Its flesh is as good as that of the Streaked Pike; but is 

 erroneously thought poisonous by some persons. I shall give a 

 full description of it, which will preclude the necessity of repe- 

 titions in describing the others. The individuals which I ob- 

 served were 26 inches long, the head 5|, the jaws 2^ inches; 

 the dimension Irom the end cf the jaws to the abdominal fins 

 was 12 inches, and to the vent 18. The body was 2 inches 

 horizontally and 2^- vertically; nearly cylindrical, but slightly 

 flattened on the back and belly, with convex sides slightly yel- 

 lowish: the whole bodv is covered with hard bonv scales, some 

 "What unequal aiid obliquely rLomboiualj but with Iho^tvvo inner 



