THE NORTH AMERICAN FISPIERIES. y 



it is not larger than from four to six pounds it is not 

 bad eating. The white is better and not so common. 

 Cat fish are often taken up to a hundred and twenty 

 pounds weight ; but such fish are unusual. 



The shape of the cat fish is that of a cone. Its 

 head is disproportionately large^ and tapers down to 

 the tail. Desinit in piscem. The eyes, which are 

 small and very wide apart^ are placed in the front of 

 the head. The jaws are very wide, and furnished 

 with a formidable array of sharp teeth, and are 

 moreover defended by tusks which, when the fish is 

 in the agonies of death, are elevated at right angles, 

 and cannot be depressed. The cat fish has also long 

 cirri or barbels of proportionate length, which aid it 

 in finding its way about along the bottom of the 

 water, whilst its eyes keep a look out for what is 

 going on overhead. 



. I remember, one evening, on the banks of the 

 Hudson, near Hastings, having laid a trot-line, I 

 determined to remain until midnight with two 

 friends to ascertain the results of our fishing. Every 

 now and then I tried the line to ascertain whether 

 anything was on, and about ten o'clock it seemed to 

 me that the resistance had greatly increased. I was 

 not mistaken ; for drawing the line carefully ashore 

 I found on it an enormous cat fish of twenty-three 

 pounds weight. It was quite a monster, and on 

 opening it I found not only the toad which had 

 served for bait, but a handsome white perch, which 



