186 SILURID^. 



a small fish, rarely exceeding six inches. The 

 eyes are large with a blood-red spot on the lower 

 side ; the body is broad and flat ; the color of the 

 back is an olive green ; fins pale ; the lower jaw a 

 little longer than the upper. In the anal fin are 

 twenty one rays. 



Short-Chub, — Leiiciscus Cephalus. In the 

 western and northwestern part of the state the chub 

 is quite common. The body is plump and silvery 

 with a tinge of blue ; the head is chubby, and the 

 snout rounded ; the scales pretty large and angular ; 

 fins a kind of iron rust color, the tail slightly blue ; 

 the anal fin has fourteen rays. 



FAMILY V. SILURID^. 



In this family there is a want of scales, the 

 body being covered with a leathery skin which se- 

 cretes an unctuous slime. The swimming bladder 

 is attached to a particular bony contrivance, quite 

 curious in its functions. There are cirri, or long 

 feelers as they are termed by anglers, on the 

 margin of the lips; — and there is one ray like a 

 thorn on the anterior edge of the pectoral fins. 



This family is widely spread in the rivers 

 of America. Pout, horn-pout, bull-head, si- 

 lurus felio, &ic., are the vulgar names by whic 



