SILURID A. at 101 
This species, although a very abundant one in the Mississippi Valley, 
seems to have been entirely overlooked by our writers on Ichthyology ; 
the great development and serration of the pectoral spines will always 
serve to distinguish it from all of the preceding. I have seen specimens 
from Louisiana as well as from various localities in the Ohio Valley and 
from Lake Michigan. 
27. NOTURUS ELEUTHERUS, Jordan.* 
Free-finned Stone Cat. 
(Figs. 62 and 63.) 
Noturus eleutherus, JORDAN (1877), Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist. —. 
Habitat-—French Broad River, Tennessee; Tar River, North Caro- 
lina. 
This fish is not a variety of miurus; it is either a distinet species or 
a very remarkable monstrosity. I think now that the former is the 
case, and I have designated it by the above name, in allusion to the 
adipose fin being free from the caudal. The type-specimen from the 
French Broad River very strongly resembles a young Pelodichthys, but 
has the upper jaw longer. The adipose fin is, as usual, decurrent, but 
it is entirely separate from the beginning of the caudal. 
* Noturus eleutherus, JORDAN.—Since the first part of this paper was printed, I have 
been able to examine a large number of fine specimens collected by Mr. J. W. Milner, 
of the United States Fish Commission, in the Tar River near Tarboro’, NC. These 
specimens show the following charaters :— 
Body stout, broad forward, tapering behind. Head large, flattish, 44 in length of 
body, without caudal; depth of body 5§ in length ; width of head 43 in length of body. 
Mouth iarge, the upper jaw much projecting ; barbels rather long. Adipose fin rather 
high, so deeply notched that the continuity of the fin is broken for a distance nearly 
equal to the diameter of the eye. A strong keel on the back in front of the adipose fin. 
Caudal fin rounded. Distance from snout to dorsal 3 in length of body. Pectoral 
spine in this distance 2 times, in head 14. Dorsal spine # the height of the fin, 3} times 
in distance from snout to dorsal, 24 in length of head. Pectinations of pectoral spine 
very strong, recurved, nearly as long as the diameter of the spine. Front of pectoral 
spine with small teeth turned forward. Fin-radii: D.1,7; A.12; P.1,8; V.9. Color 
much as in N. miurus, extensively variegated. Snout, cheeks, and occipital region 
black. A black bar across front of dorsal, one behind dorsal, and another across mid- 
dle of adipose fin; base of caudal fin black. One or two narrow horizontal black bars 
across dorsal and anal near their tips. Caudal vaguely barred, largely black, its tip 
white. Length of specimens 4% inches. 
This is one of the most striking of our Siluride. Its relations are with N. miurus 
but the nearly free adipose fin will ulways serve to distinguish it. I have seen nu 
pecimens of miurus so large and sto ut as these of eleutherus. 
