Cat-Jishes of the. River Ohio. 51. 



lateral ones as long as the head, lateral line raised upwards at 

 the base, eyes round, spinous rays short and smooth, anal fin 

 with 25 rays, tail rounded. 



A common species, from six inches to two feet long ; head 

 slightly olivaceous, throat of a pale rufous colour, the four lower 

 barbs rufous, head convex above with a furrow; iris round, black. 

 D. 1 and 7. P. 1 and 7. Abd. 8. A. 25. C. 24. 



Var. 1. Fuscatus. With some faint dark brown patches. 



8. Silui-us Melas. Black cat-fish. Body blackish, jaws and 

 barbs unequal, the lateral barbs shorter than the head, lateral 

 line straight, eyes rounded, spinous rays short and smooth, 

 anal fin with twenty rays, tail semi-truncate. 



A small species from three to ten inches long, throat and 

 belly hardly pale, iris bla'ck slightly elliptical. D. 1 and 6. P. 

 1 and 7. Abd. 8. An. 20. C. 24. 



9. Silurus ciipreus. Yellow cat-fish. Body of an uniform 

 coppered yellowish colour, upper jaw longer, lateral barb half 

 the length of the head, lateral line straight, eyes elliptic, spinous 

 rays short and smooth, anal fin with fifteen rays, tail rounded. 



It is a large species, often weighing 201bs. and sometimes 

 lOOlbs ; the fins are thick, the spinous ray of the dorsal is nearly 

 concealed in the fleshy membrane. D. 1 and 7. P. 1 and 17. 

 Abd. 8. A. 15. C. 20. 



10. Silurus Xanihocephalus. Yellow-head cat-fish. Iron- 

 gray, belly white, head yellow or with large yellow patclres, 

 upper jaw longer, lateral barbs shorter than tlie head, eyes 

 rounded, lateral line straight, spinous rays smooth, anal fin with 

 22 rays, tail truncate. 



Found in the Ohio, Kentucky, and Licking rivers. Length 

 one to two feet, barb long, nearly equal,- — the yellow of the head 

 covers sometimes only half of it, and at other times it extends 

 over part of the body. Iris white, fins thick, reddish, the spinous 

 ray of the pectoral fins as long as the fin, that of the dorsal fin 

 shorter. D. 1 and 6. P. 1 and 7. Abd. 8. An. 22. C. 24. 



11. Silurus litnosus. Mud cat-fish. Brownish, variegated 

 with black, lower jaw the longest, eyes elliptic, lateral barbs 

 reaching to the pectoral fins, their spinous ray shorter and ser- 



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