20 AMERICAN CATFISHES. 



other catfishes, as the latter lose more than half their weight by removal of the head, 

 the entrails, and the skin. The flesh of the channel cat when fresh is very superior; 

 it is white, crisp, and juicy, of excellent flavor, and not tough. It is much more 

 delicate both in fiber and in flavor than that of the other catfishes. When well 

 cooked, I consider it superior to that of the black bass, the wall-eye, the yellow 

 perch, or any other percoid fishes. Among other fresh-water fishes it is inferior only 

 to the whitefish, the trout, and other Salmonidse. 



Speaking of the blue cat (Ictalurus furcatus), Jordan and Ever- 

 mann say:" 



In spite of popular prejudice to the contrary, the flesh of this catfish is of excellent 

 quality, firm and flaky, of very delicious flavor, nutritious in a high degree, and 

 always commanding a fair price. 



Regarding the yellow cat or goujon, which they term the mud cat, 

 the same authors state i** 



Its flesh is of fine texture and of excellent flavor, and there is really no good reason 

 for the prejudice against it which obtains in many localities. The fact that it is a 

 large, rather repulsive-looking fish, not too cleanly in its habits, doubtless has some- 

 thing to do with this. 



And in the previously cited report Evermann writes regarding the 

 same fish : 



It is by no means a handsome fish; but its great size, the excellence of its flesh, 

 and its superior keeping qualities render it a very important food fish. 



Forbes and Richardson say that this species is commonly regarded 

 as one of the very best catfishes for food, the flesh being of a fine, 

 texture and an excellent flavor. 



Mr. Charles Hiester'= has written regarding Ameiurus nehulosus ( ?) : 



It is one of the very best of pan fishes and has no noticeable bones. It retains its 

 excellence as fresh fish as long as any fish and longer than most of them. It is eaten 

 and relished by all classes of people, and they would eat more if they could get them. 

 It is not salted down, because the demand for fresh fish exceeds the supply. Its 

 quality for table food will ever prevent its use for any other purpose. 



The great popular demand testifies to the food virtues of the cat- 

 fishes. By some persons the bullhead is preferred to the spotted cat 

 and channel cat and by many it is considered their equal. It forms 

 the fish part of the combination, '* catfish and waffles," for which 

 Philadelphia is famous. 



Regarding the "yellow bullhead" (A. natalis) Forbes and Rich- 

 .ardson say : 



In the words of Doctor Jordan, these fishes are "small, but good eating," as we have 

 ourselves proven. 



o Jordan, David Starr, and Evermann, Barton Warren: American food and game fishes, p. 19. (Dou- 

 toleday Page & Co., New York, 1902.) 

 6Loc. cit., p. 32. 

 ■« Letter in Bull. U. S. Fish Commisyiori vol. ii, 1882, p. 7u-79. 



