152 

 AMIURUS, Rafin. 



1— A. catus. 



Common Cat-Fish, or Hornsd Pout. 



Body elongate, depresi^ed befure the anterior dorsal, com- 

 pressed behind. Head flattened, smooth ; a short, erect 

 barbel at the hind margin of nostril, two thick and fleshy 

 barbels depend from the upper jaw, and four from lower jaw. 

 Body smooth, scaleless. Eyes small. Second dorsal fin 

 adipose and elongated. 



Pectoral fin with a stout, serrated spine, which, by an in- 

 genious mechanism, becomes fixed and immovable at the 

 will of the animal, and serves as an important arm of defense. 

 Dusky, W'ith a deeper shade on the back and summit of head. 

 Sides of head with a greenish tint; coppery on the sides. 

 Abdomen pearl-grey. Fins dusky, but become tinged with 

 red after dead. Length, 7 to 12 inches. 



Fin-rays:— D. 16; P. 1.8; V. 8; A. 23; C. 19. 



A. cahis, Guenther, V, p. 91>. 



Siluriis catus, L. Syst. Nat. I, ]>. 504; Guv. & Val., XV, 

 ]). 124, pi. 432, DeKav, New York Fauna, Fishes, p. 182, 

 ])1. 37, fig. 119; Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc, Phil. 1859, 

 p. 160. 



Brought in huge piles to the Baltimore markets, and is 

 i:u abundant and cheap food for the poorer classes. Speci- 

 mens from the deeper basins of the Potomac Piiver measure 

 sometimes as much as 18 inches in length, and are stout in 

 proportion. 



Tt is common in the tidewater part of the Patapsco river, 

 but docs not attain to such a large size as specimens from the 

 Potomac. 



2-A. 



Channel Cat. 



The head, which is longer than broad, i'ui'ms a little less 

 than the fourth of the total length. The upper jaAv is some- 

 what longer than the lower one. The eyes are rather large, 

 their diameter being contained seven times in the length of 

 the side of the head, and four times and a half across the in- 

 terocular space. The anterior margin of the dorsal fin is equi- 

 distant between the apex of the snout and the origin of the 

 adipose. The posterior edge of the caudal is moderately 

 emar^^inated; the fin it,self constituting not (.\m\st the tixth 



