198 FISHES OF ILLINOIS 



and through the valleys of the Missouri and Ohio to the Tombigbee 

 River in Alabama. 



Though the commonest of the stonecats in Illinois, it is neverthe- 

 less not usually distinguished by fishermen, and has no generally 

 accepted common name. Like the other species of this name, it is 

 provided with poison glands, placed just beneath the epidermis sur- 

 rounding the spines of the pectoral and dorsal fins, and the wound 

 from either of these spines is little less painful than a bee's sting. 

 These glands are ductless, and the poison which they secrete is only 

 liberated when the epidermis of the spine is torn. 



The food of 13 specimens examined, consisted almost wholly of 

 amphipod and isopod Crustacea, of various forms of Entomostraca, 

 and of insect larvae (case-worms, day-flies, and gnats) of kinds likely 

 to be found on the bottom. A single specimen had eaten a small 

 fish, and another a planarian worm. 



Males and females taken by us June 8 were already spent, and 

 the spawning season probably falls in May. 



This little fish is too small to be used for any purpose except as 

 bait. It is said to be very tenacious of life, and to serve as an excel- 

 lent bait for black bass, against which its formidable defensive ap- 

 paratus evidently does not protect it. 



SCHILBEODES NOCTURNUS (Jordax & Gilbert) 

 (freckled stonecat) 



Jordan & Gilbert. 1886, Proc. U. S. Xat. Mus , 6 (Noturus) 

 1 & E., I, 146; L., 10. 



Moderately robust, but less so than in S. gyrinus, the head narrower 

 forward and the profile less steep than in that species; depth 4 . 8 to 5 . 1 in 

 length. Size small, not found over 3 inches. Color a uniform dark 

 brown, thickly and rather coarsely flecked with black, except on breast 

 and belly; dorsal, adipose, caudal, and anal fins specked with black much 

 as body, but with narrow edgings of pale. Head short and moderately 

 broad, its length 3 . 8 to 4 . 1 in body ; its greatest width in opercular region, 

 narrower forward, 4.3 to 4.6 in body; interorbital space 1.9 to 2.4 in 

 head; eye moderate, 4.8 to 6 in head; upper jaw longer than lower; bar- 

 bels short and robust, the maxillary pair falling considerably short of gill- 

 openings. Distance from snout to dorsal 2 . 8 to 3 in length ; dorsal spine 

 short . scarcely half the height of fin, 2 . 4 to 3 . 4 in head. Caudal long and 

 somewhat tapered terminally. Anal fin short, of 15 to 10 rays. Pectoral 

 spine moderate, its length 2 to 2.1 in head, slender towards base and 

 widening outward, the tip acute; the upper surface comparatively flat 

 and the diagonal grooves inconspicuous; the anterior edge with 2 or i 



