94 CONTEIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMEKICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 



51. — AMIA Linnreus. 



Bow-fins. 



(Amiatus Eafinesque.) 

 (Lhin. Syst. Nat. ed. xii, 1766 : type Amia calva L.) 



Oliaracters of the geuus iuclnded above. (d/Ma, ancient name of some 

 fish, probably the bonito, Sarda mediterranea ; said to be from a, priva- 

 tive, and /7.:'a, one, the fish living in schools.) 



83. A. caSvaL. — Mud-fish; Dog-fish; Bow-fin; Grindle; "John A. Grindle" ; Lawyer _ 



Dark olive or blackish above, paler below ; sides with traces of 

 dark reticulate markings ; lower jaw and gular plate often with round 

 blackish spots. Fins mostly dark, somewhat mottled. Male with a 

 round black spot at base of caudal above, this surrounded by an orange 

 or yellowish shade. In the female this spot is wanting. Lateral line 

 nearly median, directed slightly upward at each end. D. 48 (42-53) ; 

 A. 10-12; V. 7 ; Lat. 1. 67 (05-70). Head 3f in length; depth 4 to 4J. 

 Male about 18 inches in length ; female 24 or more. Great Lakes and 

 sluggish waters from Minnesota to Virginia, Florida, and Texas ; abund- 

 ant. A voracious fish of remarkable tenacity of life. The flesh is pecu- 

 liarly soft and pasty, and is of no value for food. 



(Linn. Syst. Nat. ; Giinthei-, vii, 325 : Amia ocelliccmda Richardson, Fauna Bor.-Amer. 

 iii, 236 ((?): Amia occidentalis Dekay, New York Fauna, Fish. 2G9.) 



Sdbclass PHYSOSTOMI. 



{The Soft-rayed Fishes.) 



Skeleton bony. Ventral fins (if present) abdominal, with the basal 

 segments rudimental. Parietal bones usually united. Air-bladder (if 

 present) connected by an air-duct with the oesophagus. Scales mostly 

 cycloid. Lateral line usually running low. Parietal bones uswally 

 united. Praecoracoid generally present. Pays of fins all soft and artic- 

 ulated, except occasionally one or two of the anterior rays of any fin, 

 which may be spinous. Lateral margins of upper jaw usually formed 

 by the maxillaries. Pectoral fin placed low, generally near the ventral 

 line. 



This group corresponds essentially to the Malacopteri Ahdominales of 

 different authors, the Cycloidei of Professor Agassiz. Although the 

 typical members of this group differ in many ways from the more special- 



