474 FISHING IN AMERICAN WATERS. 



CHANNEL CAT. A bdominal. Malacoperygii. 



This fish is equally good for game and the table. The fish 

 from which we made the above copy of a drawing was taken 

 in the Chickasaw River near Meridian, Mississippi, by B. F. 

 Moore, Jun. It is also known there as the croaker and blue- 

 cat. 



There is a scarcely perceptible lateral line running from 

 o-ills down the centre of each side to tail, above which the 



G ' 



color is blue, as are also the superior fins, the lower ones be- 

 ing nearly white, and the sides are light bluish-gray to an 

 inch below the lateral line, the abdomen being satiny white. 

 Pectoral fins, one spinal and eight soft rays ; ventral, sev- 

 en soft rays; anal, thirty soft rays, rooted in an adipose 

 membrane; caudal, eighteen soft rays, very forked; first 

 dorsal spinal, and six soft niys ; second dorsal, adipose ; two 

 barbels or feelers, one each side of upper lip, length of tail 

 about one-fifth of the fish ; two very short barbels on the top 

 of the head ; four barbels on the chin, two each side ; branchi- 

 ostegous rays, three; head one -sixth of the whole length. 

 Mouth very small for a catfish ; with brush-like teeth on up- 

 per and lower lips, and card-like teeth on the upper and low- 

 er sides of throat near the maw ; four gill-rays, and a sem- 

 blance of a tongue filling the entire lower jaw; eyes large; 

 throat and breast always white. Runs in small streams from 

 one to five pounds in weight ; but in the Upper Missouri 

 River, where they are regarded as superior to any other fish, 

 the trout included, they attain to fifteen pounds, and even 

 more. It is there called by some the lady- cat, because of its 



