324 Lake Maxinkiickee, Physical and Biological Survey 



6. YELLOW CATFISH 



AMEIURUS NATALIS (Le Sueur) 



(Plate 3) 



The Yellow Cat is generally abundant from the Great Lakes 

 region to Virginia and Texas and southward. It is extremely va- 

 riable, running into several subspecies. Of the four species of cat- 

 fish known from Lake Maxinkuckee, this is by far the most abund- 

 ant. It is very common in Lost Lake and in favorable places in 

 Lake Maxinkuckee it is not rare. No attempts were made to get 

 a large number, but our collection contains specimens from many 

 parts of the shore and from the various inlets of the lake. They 

 are mostly quite small and exhibit much variation in general ap- 

 pearance, especially as regards depth, some being short and plump 

 and others rather elongate. The mature specimens appear to be 

 equally diverse as shown by the table of weights and measures 

 given below. The Yellpw Catfish frequents the region of the in- 

 lets and those portions of the lake where there is soft bottom ; 

 usually it may be found in water 5 to 15 feet deep where the bot- 

 tom is of marl, and even in somewhat deeper water in muck 

 bottom. 



The Yellow Cat in these waters rarely attains a greater length 

 than a foot or 15 inches and a weight of a pound or a pound and 

 a half, though considerably larger examples are sometimes taken. 

 The largest seen by us weighed 3 pounds, and the largest of which 

 we have heard is said to have weighed 5 pounds. The follow- 

 ing table shows the lengths and weights of 22 individuals examined 

 at various times. 



