SILURID^. 101 



This species, although a very ahnndnnt one in the IMississippi Valley, 

 seems to have been entirely overlooked by our writers on Ichthyology; 

 the great development and serration of the pectoral spines will always 

 serve to distinguish it from all of the preceding. I have seen specimens 

 from Louisiana as well as from various localities in the Ohio Valley and 

 from Lake Michigan. 



27. NOTURUS ELEUTHERUS, Jordan* 

 Free-finned Stone Cat. 

 (Figs. 62 and 63.) 

 Xoiurus elcutherus, Jordan (1877), Aun. Lye. Nat. Hist. — . 



Habitat — Fi'ench Broad liiver, Tennessee; Tar River, North Caro- 

 linii. 



This fish is not a variety of miunis; it is either a distinct species or 

 a very remarkable monstrosity. I think now that the former is the 

 case, and I have designated it by the above name, iu allusion to the 

 adipose fin being free from the caudal. The type-si)ecimen from the 

 French Broad River very strongly resembles a young Felodichthys, but 

 has the upper jaw longer. The adipose fin is, as usual, decurrent, but 

 it is entirely separate from the beginning of the caudal. 



*\SoUtrus elcuiherus, Jordan. — Since the first pa t of this paper was printed, I have 

 been able to examine a large number of tine specimens collected by Mr. J. W. Milner, 

 of the United States Fish Commission, in the Tar River near Tarboro', N C. These 

 specimens show the following charaters : — 



Body stout, broad forward, tapering behind. Head large, flattish, 4^ iu length ot 

 body, without caudal ; depth of body 5.V in length ; width of head 4] in length of body. 

 Mouth large, the upper jaw much projecting ; barbels rather long. Adipote tin rather 

 high, so deeply notched that the continuity of the fin is broken for a distance nearly 

 equal to the diameter of the eye. A strong keel on the back in front of the adipose lin. 

 Caudal fin rounded. Distance from snout to dorsal 3 in length of body. Pectoral 

 spine in this distance 2 times; in head 1|-. Dorsal spine ?, the height of the fin, 3J times 

 in distance from snout to dorsal, 2-} in length of head. Pectinations of pectoral spine 

 very strong, recurved, nearly as long as the diameter of the spine. Front of pectoral 

 spine with small teeth turned forward. Fin-radii: D. 1,7; A. 12; P. 1,8; V. •). Color 

 much as in N. miurus, extensively variegated. Snout, cheeks, and occipital region 

 black. A black bar across front of dorsal, one behind dorsal, and another across mid- 

 dle of adipose fin ; base of caudal fin black. One or two narrow horizontal bhick bars 

 across dorsal and anal near their tips. Caudal vaguely barred, largely black, its tip 

 white. Length of specimens 4f inches. 



This is one of the most striking of oar Sihridw. Its relations are with .V. minn,^ 

 but the nearly free adipose fin will always serve to distinguish it. I have seen no 

 pecimeiis of miurus so large and sto ut as ihose of elcnihiru.s. 



