29. SILURlDvE ARIUS. 109 



nearer the upper than the lower outline. Eye large, the middle i)oint 

 of tlie length of the head being near its posterior margin. Mouth 

 rather small. Barbels long. Spines long. Sliin thin. Humeral pro- 

 cess long and slender, more than half the length of the pectoral spine, 

 which is strongly serrated behind. Head 4; depth 5. Anal 25-29. 

 Eivers of the Southern and Western States, from Montana to Ver- 

 mont, Mexico, and Georgia ; generally abundant in the channels of the 

 larger streams. It reaches a weight of 20-25 pounds. Variable. 



(Silurus jmnctatus Raf, Amer. Mouth. Mag. 1818, 359; Jordan, 1. c. 76: Pimelodus 

 coerulesceiis Raf. Ichth. Oh. 03: Pimelodus caitdafurcatus Le Sueur, Mdru. Mus. v, 152: 

 Aminrus caudcrfurcatus Giiuther, v, 102 : Pimelodus furcifer, gracilis, viilpes, olivaceus, 

 houghi, megalops, graciosus, hammondi, notatus, etc. Auct. : Ictalurus beadlei and siwp- 

 8oni Gill: Ichthcelurus roiustus Jordan, 1. c. 76.) 



dd. Anal fin very long, Its rays 32-34. 



1®9. I. fwrcsatMS (Cuv. & Val.) Gill. 



Color silvery, plain or somewhat spotted. Anal fin extremely elon- 

 gate, its base nearly one-third the length of the body (without caudal) ; 

 its rays 32-34: in number. 'Eye small, wholly anterior, the middle of 

 the head being entirely behind its posterior margin. Head small, about 

 4i in length ; depth 4 in adults to 5^ in younger specimens Slope from 

 dorsal to snout somewhat concave, especially in adults. Pectoral spine 

 rather long; humeral spine stout, shortish, not reaching middle of 

 pectoral spine. Skin thin. Size rather small. Ohio to Iowa and 

 Texas ; not very common. 



{Pimelodus furcatus Cuv. & Val. xv, 133, 1840 : Amiiirus furcalus Giiuther, v, 103 . 

 Jordan, 1. c. 75.) 



Sy. — ARIUS Cuvier & Valenciennes. 



Sea Cat-fish. 



(Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss. xv, 53, 1840 : type Pimelodus arius Buchanan.) 

 Body more or less elongate, subterete. Head subconical, armed with 

 a bony shield above, behind which are usually two others, the posterior 

 at the base of the dorsal spine. Sliull with a fontanelle. Mouth not 

 large, the upper jaw the longer. Teeth villiform or granular, in a band 

 in each jaw. Teeth in one or two patches each on the vomer and pala- 

 tines, all of them sometimes confluent into one band. Barbels (5 (the 

 nostrils without barbel), close together, the posterior witli a valve. 

 Eyes with a free orbital margin. Dorsal fin short, in front of the ven- 

 trals, with a pungent spine and 7 rays. Adij ose fin Avell developed, 

 posteriorly free. Caudal fin deeply forked. Anal fin short. Pectorals 

 each with a spine. Ventral rays 6. Skin smooth, naked, except on the 



