29 SILURIDvE — AMIURUS. 
103 
the bones is thick. E^’es rather small, not covered by the skin. Mouth 
large, terminal, transverse, the npi)er jaw in most species the longer. 
Teeth subulate, aggregated in broad bands on the intermaxillaries and 
dentaries ; the intermaxillary band is convex in front, of equal breadth, 
and abruptly truncated near the insertion of the intermaxillaries ; the 
lower dental band is anteriorly semicircular, attenuated to the angles 
of the mouth. Branchiostegal rays 8-11. Dorsal situated over the in- 
terval between the i)ectorals and ventrals, higher than long, with a 
pungent spine and about C branched rays. Adipose tin short, inserted 
over the posterior half of the anal. Anal tin varying length, with 15-35 
rays, the usual number being 20 or 21. Caudal tin short, usually trun- 
cate when spread open, slightly emargiuate when not expanded. Veu- 
trals each with 1 simple and 7 branched rays. Pectoral tins each with 
a stout spine, which is commonly retrorse-serrate behind. Lateral line 
usually incomplete. Species very numerous, swarming in every pond 
and sluggish stream in the Eastern United States ; one species (A. can- 
tonensis) in China, (a, privative ; iieioupo^, curtailed ; the caudal tin not 
notched.) 
* Caudal fin not forked, rounded or slightly emargiuate. 
a. Anal fin very short, its rays 15-17 (18). 
b. Body comparatively long and slender. 
93. A. bruBiaacMS Jordan . — Green Mud Cat. 
Clear olive-brown, more distinctly greenish than other cat-fishes ; a 
blackish horizontal bar at base of dorsal. Body extremely elongate ; 
anteriorly nearly terete. Head low, flat, and broad, upper jaw very 
strongly projecting. Dorsal tin very high, two-thirds length of head, 
its spine nearer snout than adipose fin ; depth 5.} in length. Head 3^; 
its width 4; base of anal 0; anal rays 16-18. Caudal slightly einargi- 
nate. Young much less elongate. L. 18 inches; slenderest of the 
Aniiuri. Abundant in the streams of South Carolina and Eastern 
Georgia (Santee to the Chattahoochee). 
(Jordan, Auu. Lyc. Nat. Hist. N. Y. 1877, 3(56; Jordan, 1. c. 93 ; Jordan & Brayton, 
Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. xii, 28.) 
aa. Anal fin moderate, its rays 19-22. 
c. Lower jaw not i)rojectiug' beyond upper. 
94. A. plsa,tyce 5 >IsalBis (Grd.) Gill. 
Olivaceous, somewhat marbled, a black horizontal bar at base of dor- 
sal. Head broad and flat, nearly as wide as long. Mouth very wide, 
the jaws about equal. Dorsal spine nearer snout than adipose fin. B. 
11 ; A. 20-22, the base of the fin 4^-5 in length. Yorth Carolina to 
