Jordan and Evcrfnann. — Fishes of North America. 145 



or above the axil of the pectoral fins is au orifice, which is the opening of 

 the duct of a poison gland. "From it may frequently be drawn a solid 

 gelatinous style ending in a tripod, each liuib of which isdichotomously 

 divided into short brauchesof regular length." — Co})e. The sting from the 

 pectoral spine is very painful, resembling the sting of a bee, but worse. 

 Very small catfishes of the fresh waters of the Eastern United States, hav- 

 ing somewhat the habits of Ethcostoma, or Cottits, lying ou the bottom 

 among rocks and weeds, and delighting in small rocky brooks. They 

 are especially numerous southward. {Schilbe, an African genus ofSiluroids, 

 with which these fishes were supposed to agree in lacking an adipose fin ; 

 eUng, likeness. The word ScMlbc is of Arabian origin.) 



SCUILBEODES: 



a. Pectoral spino entire or grooved behind, never retrorse serrate; adipose fin liigh and con- 

 tinuous, not separated by a notch from caudal; caudal much rounded. 



b. Head short, broad and deep; pectoral spine without serration anywhere, grooved behind, 



2 in head; barbels short; plain dark brown, with a narrow black lateral streak. 



A. 15 or 16. GYRiNUs, 223. 



hb. Head small and narrow; spines very short and weak; pectoral spine weakly retrorse 



serrate without, grooved within, 3)^ in head. A. 14. Color yellowish, slightly 



mottled. LEPTACANTHUS, 224. 



Rabida, (?<(6i(i((s, mad): 

 aa. Pectoral spino more or less distinctly serrate behind (the serras sometimes absent in K 

 iiocliiruus). 



c. Adipose fin continuous with the caudal, there being no evident notch between them; 



pectoral spine short, 2 in head, its inner margin usually with a few short, sharp 

 teeth on basal half, its outer nearly entire, a few points near the tip. A. 15 or 10. 

 Color plain blackish. nocturnu.s, 225. 



cc. Adipose flu with a more or less distinct notch separating it from the caudal. 



d. Anal fin comparatively long, of 23 rays; body elongate; adipose fin conspicuously 

 notched; spines slender and short, pectoral spines with weak teeth on each 

 margin. Color plain blackish. funebris, 226. 



dd. Anal fin rather short, of 12 to 18 rays. 



e. Pectoral spine with its posterior serrre short, their length not J^ diameter of 

 spine. Color nearly plain. 

 /. Adipose fin moderate, the notch shallow, not separating it from the caudal 

 fin; caudal slightly rounded; vertical fins broadly edged with black. 

 g. Pectoral spine very short and weak, about 3 in head in adult; head 

 small, 4 in length. exilis, 227. 



ijg. Pectoral spine moderate, about 2 {1% to 2}^) in head; head larger. 



INSIGNIS, 228. 

 //. Adipose fin very low, the notch completely separating it from caudal; 

 pectoral spino very short, 4 to 5 in head, its outer margin noarlj' en- 

 tire, the Inner with sharp teeth at base; caudal slightly emarginate; 

 base of dorsal and lower lobe of caudal black. Gii.BERTr, 229. 



ee. Pectoral spino with its posterior serra? strong, spine-like, recurved, almost as 

 long as the diameter of the spine, the long curved spine itself more than 

 ^ head; anal rays 13 to 15; caudal much rounded. 

 h. Adipose fin nearly or quite free from caudal; color nearly plain brownish, 

 the saddle-like blotches faint; everywhere covered with small dots; 

 anterior edge of pectoral spine retrorse-serrate. eleutherus, 2.30. 



hh. Adipose fin not quite free from caudal; color much variegated, the back 

 with black saddle-like blotches; fins marbled with black. 

 I. Pectoral spine strong, about \y^ in head, its anterior edge with few 

 serrations. miurvs, 231. 



It. Pectoral spine very strong, about 1}^ in head, its anterior edge with 

 many serrations. furiosus, 232. 



P. N. A. 11 



