On the Classification of Fishes. 281 



and tasteless, a pest to the angler for Black "Bass, for running in 

 company with the latter, he often takes the bait designed for his 

 betters. 



The family Scombrid^, of which the Mackerel is the type, 

 contains the Spring Mackerel, Scomber vernalis, the Fall Mackerel, 

 Scomber f/rex, the Tunny, Thynnus vulgaris, the Swordfish, 

 Xiphias gladius, the Bluefish, Temnodon saltator, &c., inha- 

 bitants of the ocean. 



The family Gobid^ is probably represented in the waters off 

 our costs by the genus Zoarces, which contains the Thick lipped 

 Eel pout, Zoarces anguillaris, and by the genus Anarrhicas, to 

 which belongs the Sea Wolf, Anarrhicas lupus. 



So also the family Lophid^, to which belongs the American 

 Angler, Lophius Americanus, and the Toadfishes, Batrachii, and 

 likewise the family Labrid^e, in which is the Gunner, Ctenolabrus 

 cereuleus, are no doubt met with on our shores. 



In the abdominal division of the Malacopterygii are six families, 

 which are widely diffused through the lakes and streams of 

 Canada, namely, Siluridjs, Cyprind^, Esocid^, Salmonid^, 

 Clupid^, and Saurid^e. 



The only representative of Silurid^ that we have is the genus 

 Pimelodus, of which there are several species. The most widely 

 known is the common Catfish Pimelodus catus, which frequents 

 nearly every muddy bottom to be found in our ponds, lakes and 

 streams. This fish has the first ray of the dorsal and pectoral 

 fins spinous, thus forming an exception to the rule in soft-rayed 

 fishes, as every angler Avell knows who has had occasion to take 

 them from his hook, and in unsuspecting haste rushed upon the 

 sharp points and yet sharper seratures of these formidable spines. 

 There is also the Channel Catfish, Pimelodus nigricans, at once 

 distinguished from the former by his forked tail and the irregular 

 round black spots on the body. Agassiz describes a species found 

 in Lake Superior, to which he has given the name Pimelodus 

 felis. This genus will reward the student's careful examination 

 of every individual that falls under his notice, for the scientific 

 world is yet in doubt as to the number of species that should 

 compose Pimelodus proper. 



In Cyprinid^, the Carp family, we have several species of the 

 genus Catastomus and of the genus Leuciscus. The common 

 Sucker, Catastomus communis, and the Mullet Sucker, Catastomus 

 aureolus, are perhaps the most common species of this genus. 



