Cat-fishes of the River Ohio. 49 



not grow to a very large size. It has a flat head and belly, 

 the upper part of the head is rufous olivaceous, the back 

 tinged of the same but paler hue, the sides have often some 

 gilt and bluish shades. All the fins and tail are marginated 

 or tipped with brown ; the spiuous ray of the pectoral fins 

 is united to the fin by a cancellate membrane. Iris elliptic, 

 white. Barbs white, except the black lateral ones, and the 

 lower lateral which are tipped with black. D. I and 7. P. 1 and 

 -5. Abd. 8. C. 20. Var. i. Erythroptera. Fins and tail reddish. 



'I.SUiirus pallidus. White cat-fish. Body fusiform, whitish, 

 unspotted ; back olivaceous ; lateral barbs black, reaching the 

 pectoral fins ; lateral line straight ; spinous ray of the pectoral 

 fins, long and smooth ; anal fin with 25 rays ; tail slightly un- 

 equal ; upper lip longer; eyes elliptic. 



Very common : it grows larger than the foregoing : the body 

 is depressed in the fore part, and compressed in the back part ; 

 the upper part of the head is olivaceous ; the barbs are white, 

 except the lateral ones, which are always the longest ; lipa 

 thick, and teeth nearly file-shaped, as in the other species. Iris 

 white, elliptic, transversal. Dorsal and pectoral fins yellowish, 

 abdominal ones white, the adipose dorsal fin olive, tipped with 

 brown, anal and caudal pale brown. D. 1 and 6. P, 1. and 7. 

 Abd. 6. c. 24. 



Var. 1. Marginatus. Tail pale, marginated with black. 



Var. 2. Lateralis. Sides with two or three large black patches. 



Var. 3. Leiicoptera. Fins whitish. 



3. Silurus Cerulescens. Blue cat-fish. Body of a bluish 

 lead-colour, whitish beneath ; upper-jaw longer, lateral barb 

 shorter than the head, lateral line flexuose, spinous ray of the 

 pectoral fins shorter and smooth, anal fin with 25 rays, tail 

 equally forked, eyes elliptic. 



This species reaches to the weight of 2501b8. It is much like 

 the foregoing, but the lateral barbs are only half the size ; the 

 tail is bluish, with a pale reddish base, all the fing are bluish, 

 except tlie pectoral and abdominal, which are wiiite. Rays as 

 in the above ; but C. 22. 



Var. 1 . Melunurus. With a blackish tail. 

 VuL. IX, E 



