THE CAT FISH. 307 



This is one of the most common species, and makes its ap- 

 pearance in market in the first days of April. A peculiarity 

 connected with this species, and perhaps with others of the 

 same family, is that it occasionally appears without any ventral 

 fins. I have seen two thus deprived of these fins, and thus 

 furnished a naturalist with an opportunity of forming a new 

 genus Pimapterus. The specimen thus defective agreed in 

 every respect to the minutest particular with the species above 

 described, so that I am induced to conclude that it was entirely 

 accidental. 



THE GREAT LAKE CAT FISH. Pimelodus NigricatlS. 



Characteristics. Large ; deep olive brown ; caudal forked ; 

 anal fin with twenty-five or twenty-six rays ; length two to 

 four feet. 



Color. General hue olive brown ; the upper part of the head 

 and cheeks bluish ; the sides of the body towards the tail, ash 

 white, with occasional large confluent black spots ; a tew 

 irregular distant round spots on the upper part of the body ; 

 upper lip maculated with black ; all beneath bluish white, 

 varied with darker ; base of the ventrals and pectorals whitish ; 

 pupil black ; irides varied with blackish and golden. 



I have seen them weighing from twenty-five to thirty pounds, 

 and have heard of others that reached the weight of eighty 

 pounds. 



Those who wish to capture the cat fish, whether in pond, 

 river, or lake, need not be particular as to the size or appear- 

 ance of their tackle, provided it be strong enough to bring the 

 fish to land. Of course the hooks and lines (which should be 

 hand lines, although some prefer the rod) should be in propor 

 tion to the size of fish expected. Worms, minnows, insects, or 

 pieces of fish, if cast within his reach, are certain to bring out 

 the common cat fish from his slimy bed. 



