304 FISHES. 



ish, fins yellow-edged; D. I, 6; P. I, 6; A. 16. Walkill 

 R., N. Y., etc. (The species of this genus need a critical 

 revision.) 



5. GRONIAS, Cope. BLIND CATS. 

 1. G. nigrilabris, Cope. BLIND CAT FISH. Form of 

 Amiurus blackish; D. I, 7; P. I, 9. Subterranean 

 stream tributary to Conestoga R., E. Penn. 



OEDEE BB. - APODES. 



(The Eels.) 



Max.mary Dones rudimentary; body serpentiform ; no 

 ventral fins; scapular arch free from skull; scales small 

 or wanting. 



FAMILY CXI. ANGUILLID^E. 



(The Eels.) 



Body much elongated, nearly cylindrical, covered with 

 small scales; vent posterior; pectorals present; vertical 

 fins confluent; sides of upper jaw formed by the maxil- 

 laries; intermaxillaries more or less coalescent with the 

 vomer; stomach coecal. Genera two or three; &quot;an in 

 finite number of species have been described &quot; (Griinther), 

 but the actual number cannot exceed forty. In seas and 

 sluggish fresh waters of all regions. 



/. ANGUILLA, Thunberg. EELS. 

 1. A. rostrafa, (LeS.) DeK. COMMON AMERICAN EEL. 

 Distance between dorsal and anal shorter than head. U. 

 S., chiefly coastwise, but ascending all rivers and intro 

 duced into the Great Lakes. But one species is recog 

 nizable. {A. bostoniensis, Authors, but the name rostrata 

 has priority. 



