638 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



A BEVIETT OF THE GENUS NOTIJRIJS, WITH A DESCRIPTION OF 



ONE NEW SPECIES. 



BY JOSEPH SIXAIN AND OEOROE B. KALB. 



The present paper contains the synonymy and diagnostic characters 

 of the species of the genus Noturus Eaflnesque, with short descriptions 

 of those species in the accounts of which we have found confusion. 



The material on which this pax^er is based is partly the same which 

 served for Professor Jordan's account of the genus (Bull. U. S. Nat. 

 Mus. X, i)p. 9G to 103, 1877), with the addition of numerous specimens 

 since received by him from different parts of the United States. Among 

 these we find a single species which appears to be new to science. 



We desire to express our indebtedness to Professor Jordan for the 

 use of his collections and library, and for valuable suggestions. 



ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF NOTURUS. 



* Premasillary band of teeth with lateral backward processes. (Noturut.) 

 a. Pectoral spine retrorsely serrate in front, almost or qnite entire behind, its length 

 2 in head ; body elongate ; head about 4 in length ; width of head about 

 equal to depth of body, 5^ in length ; distance from snout to dorsal 3 

 in length; maxillary barbel reaching nearly to gill-openings ; adipose 

 fin deeply notched ; anal rays 16. Color nearly plain yellowish brown, 

 "in northern specimens blackish above, slightly mottled"; size large, 



reaching a length of more than a foot Flavus, 1. 



** Premaxillary band of teeth without lateral backward processes. (Schilheodes 

 Bleeker.) 

 h. Pectoral spine more or less dentate behind, serrate or somewhat roughened in 

 front, 

 c. Pectoral spine with posterior serrse weak, their length less than half the 

 diameter of the spine ; coloration almost uniibrm, margin of fins more 

 or less edged with black. 

 d. Pectoral spine very short and weak, about 3^ in head ; adipose fin moder- 

 ate, slightly notched ; body robust ; maxillary barbel short, 2 in head ; 

 jaws subequal ; head not greatly depressed; anal rays 16. 



Elassochir, 2. 



dd. Pectoral spine about 2 (If to 2i) in head; body elongate, especially in 



adult; head flat and thin ; upper jaw more or less projecting ; anal rays 



14 to 16 IxsiGNis, 3. 



ce. Pectoral spine with its posterior serrje strong, spine-like, recurved, each 

 little if any shorter than diameter of spine, 

 e. Adipose fin large, deeply notched, but connected with caudal ; pectoral 

 and dorsal spines very strong ; coloration much variegated with black 

 and grayish ; top of head, tip of dorsal, middle of adipose fin, and caudal 

 black, with four broad cross blotches, one before dorsal, one behind it, 

 one across adipose fin, and a small one behind it : anal rays 12 or 13. 



MiURUS, 4. 

 ee. Adipose fin entirely distinct from caudal fin, separated from it by a dis- 

 tance equal to the diameter of the eye ; spiues as in mitirns, but some- 

 what weaker; head broad and flat; [anal rays, 11] ; coloration little 

 mottled Eleutherus, 5. 



