76 Fish and Game Warden. [Bull. No. 1. 



THE NAME "CATFISH."t 



Just why these fresh-water fish are called catfish is not 

 very apparent. They may have taken the name from their 

 general resemblance to the salt-water wolf fish which also 

 goes by the name of the wolf-eel, sea cat or catfish. This 

 peculiar fish is covered with a smooth, unprotected, slippery 

 skin like most catfish. It has a large head full of large, sharp 

 teeth that somewhat resembles that of a cat. A specimen of 

 fish called the wolf-eel, related to this group, was taken while 

 fishing in Monterey bay, California, in 1900, which was said 

 by my boatman to be dangerous on account of its snapping 

 and biting; after it was landed in the boat the fisherman 

 clubbed it on the head and killed it immediately. The size 

 and general shape of the skull, with its large eye-holes and 

 with both jaws full of sharp, cat-like teeth, gives it a decided 

 analogous resemblance to that of a cat. Another reason may 

 be given for the name; it rises from the fact that when some 

 of the common Channel cats are taken from the water they 

 frequently make an audible noise that somewhat resembles 

 the purring of a cat. This may have had something to do with 

 fixing the name "cat" to these fishes. Catfishes also have 

 whiskers analogous to those of the cat in their general appear- 

 ance. Cats are very fond of the flesh of catfish, but we do 

 not see how this would have anything to do with fixing the 

 name "cat" to these fish. 



THE BLUE CAT. 



In the larger streams of Kansas the great Mississippi 

 chuckle-head or Blue cat {Ictalwus furcatus, or ponderosus) 

 is quite common. Specimens are not infrequently taken that 

 weigh from 50 to 100 or even more pounds. Mr. J. C. Saunders 

 of Lawrence, Kan., caught three of these fish several years 

 ago that weighed 128, 133 and 147 pounds respectively. The 

 writer saw the 133-pound fish when it was taken. At another 

 time Mr. Saunders caught six of these fish that weighed 651 

 pounds, all six being taken at one time in one hoop net. At 

 another time Mr. Saunders caught in one net at one time 

 twelve of these fish that weighed from 35 to 85 pounds each. 

 Other specimens taken below the milldam at Lawrence have 

 been reported as weighing from 150 to 177 pounds. The 

 writer never saw such a large specimen. Though large, they 

 are considered a good food fish, the steaks selling at prices 

 equal to the best beef and pork steaks. 



t Ailurichthys is a name that was applied by Baird to a genus 

 of salt-water fish called sea cats. The first part of this Greek word 

 (adoupo'}) ailouros, means cat, and the second part {'-x^'^oq) ichthys, 

 means fish. The Greek word {diXoupo^) ailouros, which means cat, 

 is made up of two parts, {aioXo^) aiolos, which means quick-mov- 

 ing, and {oopd) oura, meaning tail. 



