LAMPREYS AND FISHES OF INDIATSTA. 175 



of the mouth, then rounding into the broad snout. Upper jaw project- 

 ing beyond the lower. Premaxillary band of teeth with a narrow process 

 running back on each side. Pectoral spine in length of head two and 

 two-thirds times ; with retrorse teeth in front, nearly smooth and grooved 

 behind. Adipose fin with a notch where it joins the caudal. Dorsal 

 rays, I, 6 ; anal, 16. Length, twelve inches. Yellow, tinged more 

 or less with brown. Pectorals and caudals, brownish yellow. 



Virginia and Tennessee north to Canada. In Indiana it has been 

 found at many points. Vincennes and New Harmony (4, '88, 162) ; 

 White River at Spencer and in Eel River, Owen, County (4, '88, 166); 

 East Fork White River, Lawrence County (23, '84, 199) ; White River 

 at Indianapolis (1, '77, 377) ; Ohio County (23, '88, 56) ; Brookville, 

 Franklin County (5, No. 2, 3) ; Kankakee River at Plymouth (4, '88, 

 155) ; Lakes of Laporte County and St. Joseph's River (i, '. 7, 46) ; Car- 

 roll County {S3, '88, 44) ; Monroe County (1, '85, 410) ; Great Lakes, 

 from shore to twenty fathoms, (11, '72, 36) ; Eel River basin (4, '94, 36). 



Dr. Jordan (2, 800) states that it is a sluggish fish, lurking under 

 stones and logs. It is 6f no use as food. It seems strange that so little 

 is known concerning the habits of so abundant and so large a member of 

 this interesting genus. Dr. T. H. Beau states (25, 19) that this and the 

 other stone cat-fishes make excellent liait in fishing for the black bass. 



Genus LEPTOPS Raf. 



.. Body elongated, depressed in front, compressed behind ; head broad 

 and flat ; mouth large, the lower jaw projecting ; supraoccipital not 

 reaching base of dorsal fin ; branchiostegals, twelve on each side ; 

 adipose fin free behind, not running into the caudal ; ventral rays, nine ; 

 size attained, large. 



LePTOPS OLIVARIS (Raf). 



Mud Cat ; Yellow Cat. 



Pllodictu olivaris, Jordan and Gilbert, 1882, S, 102; Pelodichthys 

 olivaris, Jordan, 1882, 2, 797 ; Leptops olivaru, Jordan, 1884, 12, 628. 



Body long and slender, depressed in front, compressed behind ; head 

 broad and flat, its length in length of body about three and five 

 tenths, its breadth in the same distance about five ; lower jaw pro- 

 jecting decidedly beyond the upper ; premaxillary band of teeth, with a 

 narrow process projecting behind; eyes small, about nine in head; 

 dorsal with a stiff spine and six or seven rays ; adipose dorsal with its 

 hinder edge free from the back, as in Ai)ieiurus; caudal cut oflT nearly 

 square, with numerous rudimentary rays above and below ; anal with 

 twelve to fifteen rays. Pectorals with a curved spine, which is serrated 

 in front and behind. 



Color above yellowish, mottled with brown ; sometimes with a brown 



