270 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 



My first personal knowledge of this species was derived from the specimen described above, 

 which was sent to the Lyceum many years since by Mr. H. Schoolcraft. It was labelled 

 " River St. Mary, Michigan Territory," and called " Shigwumaig in the Ojibway (Chippe- 

 way) dialect." 



The only species hitherto described, A. calva, is from the rivers of Carolina emptying into 

 the Atlantic. This species is found in Lakes Erie and Ontario, but I have not met with it.* 



Under the head of A. calva, Dr. Kirtland states that " the Dog-fish is found in Lake Erie, 

 " where it is frequently called 'The Lake Laivyer.^ It is distinguished by its ferocious looks 

 " and voracious habits, (unde nomen ?) The flesh is rank, tough, and not eatable. To the 

 " anglers it is a troublesome nuisance, by taking their bait, and often breaking their hooks 

 " and lines, which it can readily do by means of its large teeth and long jaws. Liimeus de- 

 " scribed a species of this genus as inhabiting the waters of Carolina. His characters agree 

 " essentially with those of this lake fish, so far as I have compared them, except in the rela- 

 " tive size of the pectoral and ventral fins ; still I believe they are specifically identical." 



Dr. Richardson furnishes us with a short notice of the " Amia ocellicai/da," from Lake 

 Huron, which may possibly be the occidentalis above described : " Poisson de marais. Back 

 " and sides dark ; belly and fins dark green. Head short, flattened at top and on the sides ; 

 " eyes small ; jaws even ; mouth capacious ; tongue obtuse. Two short cirri on the upper 

 " lip, the lower notched. One row of sharp longer teeth on the margin of the jaws, more 

 " interiorly shorter clustered ones ; two patches of teeth on the upper part of the gullet. 

 " Pectorals near the throat ; ventrals about the middle of the fish ; one anal. One dorsal ex- 

 " tending from four inches behind the neck to the tail, which is oblong and round, with an 

 " irregular round spot of the size of a shilling, bordered with scarlet at the base of the seven 

 " upper caudal rays. Scales large, semicircular and membranaceous exteriorly ; square 

 " where inserted into the skin. The intestines make three longitudinal turns in the abdomen. 

 " Br. 8; D. 48 ; P. 17; V. 7 ; A. 9 ; C. 22." The dimensions of the specimen are not 



(EXTRA-LIMITAL) 



A. calva. (Encyc. Method, pi. 99, fig. 408.) Tail with a black spot. Ventrals in the middle of the 

 body. Pectorals not larger than the ventrals. D. 42. Length 8 - 10 inches. Carolina. 



* From various but imperfect reports, I h.ave reason to believe that this species {A. calva) is also found in Pennsylvania." 

 (ScHCEPFF, Beobachtuagen U. S. W. Vol. 8, p. 174.) SchrepfT doubtless alludes to the occidentalis. 



