ANGUILLID^!. CXI. 337 



bb. Pectoral spines long and strong, entire without, grooved within, 

 about half the length of the head; color pale yellowish 

 brown, with dark streaks along the sides. 



7. N. gyrinus, (Mit.) Raf. TADPOLE STONE CAT. A 

 " starved " representative of the next, slimmer in every- 

 way; head shorter and smaller; body more elongate, and 

 more compressed, almost ribbon-shaped behind; barbels 

 pale; anal 1 3. S. E. N. Y., and Eastern Penn. and N. J. 



8. N. sialis, Jordan. CHUBBY STONE CAT. The 

 shortest and stoutest of all the species; head short and 

 very broad, nearly 4 in length; its width about the same; 

 depth 4 to 5; barbels dark; yellowish, a black lateral 

 streak and usually three dorsal ones. Ohio to Kansas, 

 N. to British America, abundant. 



OEDEE BB.-APODES. 



(The Eels.) 



Maxillary bones rudimentary; body serpentiform ; no 

 ventral fins; scapular arch free from skull; scales small 

 or wanting. 



FAMILY CXL 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 ccecal. Genera two or three; "an 

 infinite number of species have been described "(Griin- 

 ther), but the actual number can not exceed forty. In 

 seas and sluggish fresh waters of all regions. 



15 



