SILURIDiE. — ex. 331 



long; adipose fin large; spines strong; dorsal fin very 



high; anal fin long and deep; caudal fin short; color 



dark; gili openings narrow. Southeastern streams; 



resembling A. ulgricans, but with the caudal fin of A. 



natalis. 



bb. Head broad ; mouth wide ; form stout. 



7. A. natalis, (I^eS.) Gill. Yellow Cat. Chubby 

 Cat. Body stout and heavy, with large head; dorsal 

 spine nearer snout than adipose fin; a widely difi'used 

 species running into many varieties. The following are 

 some of the principal ones : 



Var. natalis, (LeS.) Body very short and obese, with 

 short, deep, fleshy caudal peduncle, and short caudal fin, 

 on which the flesh encroaches. This may be simply a 

 peculiar state of individuals rather than a distinct variety. 



Var. livid us, (Raf.) ,Jor. More elongate, dark colored; 

 the jaws equal. Western and Southern streams, com- 

 mon. i^A. catus of authors.) 



Var. cupreus, (Raf.) Jor. Similar, but yellowish 

 brown, and with the upper jaw decidedly the longer; 

 generally abundant. 



Var. ccenosus, (Rich.) .Jor. Like cupreus^ but green- 

 ish or black in color. Great Lakes. 



Var. analis, Jor. Anal fin very large, of 27 rays, its 

 base nearly -^ length of body. S. W. 

 XX Anal fin moderate, of 18 to 22 rays. 



c. Lower jaw distinctly longer than upper. 



8. A. vulgaris, (Thompson) Nelson. Long -Jawed 

 Cat. Body rather elongate, the depth 44- to 5 in length; 

 head 3^; barbels long; mouth wide; head longer than 

 broad; dorsal nearer snout than adipose fin; head broad 

 forwards; A. 20* dark reddish brown, varying to black- 



