190 



FISHES OF ILLINOIS 



experiments by Smith and Harron (Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 1902, 

 p. 150) the eggs hatched in 5 days, during which time both parents 

 constantly watched them, fanning them with their fins. At times 

 the male will take masses of eggs into his mouth, possibly to clean 

 them, as they are ordinarily soon ejected. The young are watched 

 by the male and are sometimes mouthed as are the eggs. 



This species is of fair food quality, being perhaps somewhat 

 inferior to the yellow bullhead. It was successfully introduced 

 about twenty years ago into Germany, France, the Netherlands, 

 and England, and, in the continental countries especially, its 

 flesh is much esteemed. It has multiplied very rapidly since 

 its introduction into California, being in fact one of the readiest 

 of fresh-water species to undergo acclimatization. Separate 

 statistics of the Illinois product of this catfish are not available, 

 though it may probably safely be said that it forms by far the 

 major part of the total bullhead catch, which was 499,100 Ib 

 for the Illinois River in 1899. 



AMEIURUS MELAS (EAFINESQUE) 



BLACK BULLHEAD 

 (MAP LV) 



Rafinesque, 1820, Q. J. Sci. Lit. Arts, Lond., 51 (Silurus). 



J. & G., 104 and 881 (Silurus xanthocephalus and A. brachyacanthus) ; M. V., 41; J. 



& E., I, 141; N., 50 (confinis, pullus); J., 67; F. ( 83 (Ictalurus nebulosus, part); 



L., 10. 



Body typically robust, shorter and deeper than in the preceding species, 

 but sometimes quite elongate, the depth 3.1 to 3.5 in length of body in adults; 

 ^^^^^ profile slightly convex and hardly so 

 long as in nebulosus; top of head and 

 occipital region covered with thick and 

 rather loose skin; shoulders rather 

 prominent on each side of a median 

 groove in well nourished adults; skin 

 noticeably thicker and tougher than 

 in the last species, that of belly con- 

 sisting of a thick and coarsely cellular 

 epidermal layer over a thin layer of 

 pigmentless connective tissue. Size 

 rather small, not often over 12 inches 

 in length. Color as a rule very dark 

 brown or green to black above, the 

 sides with more or less luster of green 

 or gold; under parts of head and body 

 greenish, plumbeous, or yellowish as 

 far back as anal fin, never satiny white; fin membranes dusky to black, the 

 rays usually much lighter, the contrast in color quite evident in the anal fin, 



FIG. 53 



Caudal, anal, and pectoral fins of Ameiurus 

 melas. 



