

Storer's Synopsis of the Fishes of North America. 213 



D. 48. P. 17. V. 6. A.O. C. 22. Length, 18 indies to 3 feet. 

 Lake Champlain, Thompson. Lake Erie, KutTtAND. Lake Huron, Richardson. Car- 

 olina, Lin- 

 Called tlie " Bowfin," at Lake Champlain. 



ilva, Lin., Sysi Vat., p 



Carolinian Amia, Shaw's Gen. Zoul , v. p. 9. 

 Amiaocellicauda, Marsh-I una Boreal. Americ, ill. p. 23G. 



Amia calva, Dog-fish of Lake Erie, Kirtland, Host. Journ Nat. Hist., in. p. 479. pi. 29, fig. 1. 

 Amia occidentalis, Western Mud-fish, Dekay's Report, p. 269, pi. 39, fig. 

 Amia tz D :ay's Report, p. 



Mr. Zadock Thompson, the intelligent author of the "History of Vermont," writes me, 

 that he compared his description of an Amia he took at Whitehall, Lake Champlain, with 

 Dekay's A. occidentalis, Richardson's A. ocellicauda, and Kirtland's A. calva, and is satisfied 

 " they all belong to one and the same species." 



FAMILY XXII. SAURLLXE. 



Body covered with scales of a stony hardness, which are extended into im- 

 bricated spines upon the first rays of all the fins. In some genera, dorsal 

 Unlets, each supported by a strong spine. 



GENUS I. LEPISOSTEUS, Lacep. 



Muzzle formed by the union of the intermaxillaries, maxillaries, and pala- 

 tines to the vomer and the ethmoid ; jaws slightly unequal ; both jaws bristling 

 over their whole interior surface with rasp-like teeth, have along their edge 

 a row of long and pointed teeth. Dorsal and anal fins far back, and opposite 

 one another. Their stomach is continued as far as a slender intestine, twice 

 folded, having many short cceca to the pylorus ; their natatory bladder is cel- 

 lular, as in Amia, and occupies the length of the abdomen. 



1. Lepisosteus osseus, Lin. 



Body elongated, fusiform. Head more than one fourth of its total length ; base of head 

 less in circumference than any other section of the body anterior to the dorsal fin. Snout 

 much elongated. Back and head brown or umber-colored, sides yellow, and body white : 

 several circular black spots upon the caudal, a few smaller ones upon dorsal and anal fins. 

 Scales smooth. Lateral line nearly straight. 



D. 7. P. 10. V. 6. A. 6. C. 12. Length, I to 5 feet. 



New York, Mitchill, Dekay. Lake Huron, Richardson. 





