MKKK-NATIVF. FOOD FlSHl.S OF IdWA ,1 



out one is seldom taken icaeliini;- :i weiiilil of sixty ixtmids. 

 It is a o-ood lood (ish tlioiio-li its lleslj is rather toiii:!). 



S .lijuiunis luitii/is, l>t- Sueur. ^■cll(.luC'at. 



The tail is not ioi-ked in this species and the rollowini;- spe- 

 <'ies of t!ie u'eniis. Anal i'a\s t\\ cnty-ronr to 1 wenty-six ray>. 

 I liavc eoUeeted hut one specimen ot this s[)eciesin the State; 

 it was taken from Indian Creek neai- Marion. This species 

 attains a hMii^tli of t\vel\e to fifteen inches. Jt fi'eipients 

 slni:;i>ish streams and still bodies of water, 'ilie lari^-e head 

 and small body i)revents this s|)<'cies as well as the two fol- 

 lowiin>- from cNcr heini;' used extensively as a food fisli, all 

 rank fairly well as food tislies, especially when jiot taken 

 from warm stagnant pools. 



6 .liiu-iunts iicl'iilosiis, Lc Sueur. Hull Utad, Horn I'out. 



.\iial rays twenty-two, similar to the precedin^ii:. This tish 

 is very tenacious of life. It is common every wliere in the 

 State yet less so than the followinti-. Length twelve inches. 



7. Aiiu-iu) us niclas, Rafinesciue. Small 151ack Cat. 



Aiud rays eighteen to twenty. Found with the iirecedinir 

 from which it not distini;ii!shed hy fishermen. 



>. Laptops iu null ii, Kalnic-quc. Mud Cat, Flat llca.i ( al. 



This is the largest of the cat tislu's excei)tul. niijri'amt. 

 from which it may I)e di>t inguislu-d hy its flat head and 

 shorter anal fin. .\nal rays twelve to fifteen. It inliahits 

 tlie larger stretmis of the State and is less common in the 

 Missis.sip[)i River than in former years. It reaches a weight 

 of !^eventy-tive pounds, hut seldom one is fonnd at present 

 which reaches half this weight. .\ very good food tish. 



I-amily 4— CATOSTOM ID-(E. llie Suckers. 

 <.). Ictiohus cvpiiiu-Hii, Cu\ . ami \ al. Common IJuftalo Umi. 



This species may he distinguished from the other buHalo 

 fishes b\- its thin lips, laige teiminal month, whii-h is pro- 



