328 riSHEs. 



mally 12 ; supraoccipital Ijone free behind ; head long, broad, 

 and flat; mouth hirge, the lower jaw always tlie longer; 

 anal tin short, of 12 to 14 rays; ventrals with 9 rays; cau- 

 dal fin truncate, its numerous rudimentary ra3^s recurrent 

 above and below the caudal peduncle ; number of vertebrae 

 mcreased ; body elongate, covered with thick skin. 



Pelodichthys, 3. 



** Adipose fin long and low, keel-like, adnate to the back, more 

 or less perfectly continuous with the caudal fin; supraocci- 

 pital bone free behind; branchiostegals 9; anal fin short, 

 with 11 to 20 rays; caudal fin rounded, with numerous rudi- 

 mentary rays recurrent on the caudal peduncle ; ventral rays 

 usually 9; form various, but body usually more or less 

 elongate, depressed in front, compressed behind, covered 

 with athickish but semi-transparent skin; size small. 



NOTURUS, 4. 



/. ICHTH/ELURUS, Rannesque. Channel Cats. 



* Eye small, anterior, the middle of the head being behind its 

 posterior margin. 



f Anal fin extremely elongate, its base one-third the length of 

 the body ; its rays 32 to 34 ; body slender. 



1. I. /f/rcafw5, (Cuv. & Val.) Gill. Fork-Tailed Chan- 

 nel Cat. Head small, 4^ in length, the slope from dor- 

 sal to snout somewhat concave; spines long. Missis- 

 sippi Valley, and Southwest. 



f f Anal fin shorter, 3i to 4 in length ; its rays 27 to 30 ; body 

 robust, compressed. 



2. /. robustus, Jordan. Robust Channel Cat. A 

 stout, deep species, wnth shorter spines; dorsal region 

 elevated; the profile concave. MississijDpi Valley. 



** Eye large, median, the middle of the head falling l)efore its 

 posterior margin ; anal short, not greatly elongate, its rays 

 25 to 29. . 



3. I. punctatus, (Raf.) .Tor. Common Channel Cat. 

 Blue Cat. White Cat, etc. Head moderate, about 4 



