FISHES OF THE MISSOURI RIVER BASIN. 387 



12. Ameiurus natalis (Le Sueur). Yellow Cat. Missouri River, St. Joseph (Jordan 



& Meek, 1885) ; Kansas River (Graham, 1885) ; Kansas River (Cragin, 1885a); 

 Shunganunga Creek, Topeka, and Blacksmith and Mission creeks, Shawnee 

 County, Kans. (Gilbert, 1886); Dakota River at Lamouro (Woolman, 1896). 



13. Ameiurus nebulosus (Le Sueur). Common Bullhead. "Plentiful" [in Kansas] 



(Graham, 1885) ; Topeka, Lawrence, and Ottawa (Cragin, 1885a) ; Osage 

 Fork of Gasconade River, Mo. (Meek, 1891) ; Dakota River at Lamoure and 

 Jamestown, N. Dak. (Woolman, 1896). 



14. Ameiurus melas (Rafinesque). Black Bullhead. Nebraska (as A. obesus type, 



Gill, 1862 and 1876) ; Kansas River at Topeka (Gilbert, 1884) ; Hundred and 

 Two River at Bedford, Iowa, and Maryville, Mo. ; Missouri River at St. 

 Joseph; Tabo Creek, Lexington, Mo.; La Mine River and tributaries at 

 Sedalia, Mo; Osage River at Clinton, Mo. ; Grand River and Tabo Creek at 

 Calhoun, Mo. (Jordan & Meek, 1885) ; " common over the State 7 ' [of Kansas] 

 (Graham, 1885); Shunganunga and Ward creeks, Shawnee County, Kans. 

 (Gilbert, 1885) ; Smoky Hill River at Wallace, Republican River at Concor- 

 dia, Solomon River at Beloit, Saline River at Wakeeney, north fork of 

 Solomon River at Kirwin (Hay, 1887) ; Sappa Creek at Oberlin, Middle 

 Beaver Creek, Smith County, Kans., Solomon River at Logan and Harlan, 

 Kans. (Gilbert, 1889); Big Piney River near Cabool and Marais River at 

 Dixon, Mo. (Meek, 1891) ; Silver Lake, Iowa; Soldier River at Charter Oak, 

 and Boyer River at Arion, Iowa (Meek, 1892); Platte and Elkhorn rivers at 

 Fremont, Salt Creek at Lincoln, Floyd River at Lemars, and Spirit Lake 

 (Meek, 1894) ; Dakota River and Pipestem Creek at Jamestown, N. Dak. 

 (Woolman, 1896). 



Found by us at the following places : Blue River, Seward ; Ingalls Lake, 

 Long Pine ; Bazile Creek, Niobrara ; Long Pine Creek, Long Pine ; pond at 

 Creighton; pond at Norfolk Junction ; pond at Ewing; canal at Niobrara; 

 Lincoln and Beaver creeks, York ; Carp Lake near Long Pine ; Big Blue River 

 at Seward; Lone Tree Creek, Chadron; Rock and Enemy creeks, Mitchell; 

 Firesteel, Choteau, and Emanuel creeks, Springfield; Crow Creek, Cham- 

 berlain ; and Prairie Creek, Scotland. The western limit in the range of 

 this species seems to be near the western boundaries of Kansas and Nebraska, 

 and is marked by the western limit of the small prairie lakes and stagnant 

 ponds. It was not found in any of the alkaline streams, nor in any of the 

 clear, cold streams of the Black Hills; but in the ponds in eastern Nebraska 

 and South Dakota it was very abundant, particularly at Scotland, Mitchell, 

 Chamberlain, Creighton, and Long Pine. It grows to a size which makes 

 it of considerable value in those States as a pan fish. 



15. Leptops olivaris (Rafinesque). Mud Cat. Osage River, Mo., and Missouri 



River, St. Joseph (Jordan & Meek, 1885); Kansas River (Graham, 1885); 

 Topeka, Lawrence, and Ottawa (Cragin, 1885a) ; Gasconade River, Mo. (Meek, 

 1891). A single specimen of this species was caught with the seine in the 

 White River near Chamberlain. It was a female measuring 3 feet 6 inches 

 in total length, and weighing 32 pounds. The following additional measure- 

 ments were taken: Tip of nose to origin of dorsal fin, 15 inches; to adipose 

 fin, 28 inches ; distance over head between pectorals, 15£ inches ; distance 

 between posterior nostrils, 3^ inches; distance between eyes, 6^ inches; 

 length of maxillary barbel, 7] inches. This fish was very sluggish, and made 

 no. effort to escape until we began lifting it out of the water, when it became 

 greatlj excited and hard to handle. The mud cat probably occurs in all the 

 larger streams of the Missouri Basin, but we have not seen any record of its 

 occurrence west of Omaha, except the general statement of Graham cited 

 above. 



