SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE OF FISHES. 79 



50. MOXOSTOMA ALBUM (Cope). 

 "White Mullet". 



Ptychostomus albus Cope, 1870b, 472; Catawba River. 

 Myxostoma album, Jordan, 1878, 130; Kinston (Neuse River). 

 Moxostoma album, Jordan & Evermann, 1896, 191. 



Diagnosis. — Form elliptical, somewhat compressed, back slightly elevated, depth con- 

 tained about 3.3 times in total length; head small, short, broad, .20 length; muzzle prominent 

 but less so than in M. collapsum; mouth moderate, lower lip a narrow crescent following the 

 edge of the mandible, not folding in median line; dorsal fin high, rays 12 to 14; caudal deeply 

 forked. Color: very pale, lower fins white, (album, white.) 



Cope's note regarding this fish is: " In size this species is one of the largest, 

 reaching 4 pounds and over. It is much valued by the people living in the 

 neighborhood of the Catawba River, North Carolina, as an article of food. They 

 call it the 'white mullet'. I have not seen it in the Yadkin or any other river". 

 The U. S. National Museum has specimens from the Neuse River at Kinston col- 

 lected by J. W. Milner and from unknown localities in North Carolina obtained 

 by Dr. G. B. Goode in the Washington (D. C.) market. This may be the species 

 called "white-fish" by Lawson (1709) and thus referred to by him: 



The white-fish are very large; some being two foot and a half long and more. They 

 are found a great way up in the freshes of the rivers; and are firm meat, and an extra- 

 ordinary well-relish'd fish. 



51. MOXOSTOMA THALASSINUM (Cope). 

 Sucker. 



Ptychostomus thalassinus Cope, 1870b, 472; Yadkin River. 

 Moxostoma thalassinum, Jordan & Evermann, 1896, 191. 



Diagnosis. — Similar to Moxostoma collapsum, but differing in shape of lower lip, which is 

 narrowly crescentric; fusiform, back elevated; head elongate, flat above, .25 total length; 

 muzzle not very prominent, mouth small; dorsal rays 14 or 15. Color: sea green above, white 

 below: fins white, {thalassinum, sea green.) 



This is one of the largest suckers, exceeding 5 pounds in weight, according to 

 Cope. It was reported to be abundant in the Yadkin and used for food, but 

 nothing further is known about it. 



52. MOXOSTOMA AUREOLUM (LeSueur). 

 "Red-horse"; "White Sucker". 



Catostomus aureolus LeSueur, Journal Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, i, 95, 1817; Lake Erie. 

 Ptychostomus erythurus. Cope, 1870b, 474; French Broad River (Tennessee). 

 Moxostoma duquesnei, Jordan, 1889b, 150, 151; French Broad River. 

 Moxostoma aureolum, Jordan & Evermann, 1896, 192. 



Diagnosis. — Form stout or moderately elongate; head long, blunt, broad and flat above, 

 .20 to .25 total length; mouth large, lips full; snout blunt, projecting; eye large; dorsal rays 12 

 to 14, free edge nearly straight, longest ray shorter than head, scales large, 45 in lateral series. 

 Color: gray, greenish or rosy above, sides silvery, fins orange in adults, {aureolum, golden.) 



An abundant species, ranging from Lake Ontario and Lake Michigan south 

 to Arkansas, Georgia, and North Carolina. In North Carolina this sucker occurs 



