[Cope '*'^0 [June 7, 



Head less thau one-fourth length. A. 20 ; eye 4;5 times between orbits ; 

 dorsal nearer adipose fin than muzzle. A. confinis. 



Head as above ; orbit 4 times between orbits ; A. 23 ; dorsal nearer 

 muzzle than adipose fin. a. hoti. 



aa Caudal furcate. 



Width of head from 4.6 times in length; eye large, 3 to 5 times in inter- 

 orbital space ; barbels long; caudal fin deeply forked. 



A. LYKX. 



Head very wide, width 3.6 times in length ; eye six times between 

 orbits, barbels very short, caudal not deeply furcate. 



A. LOPHIUS. 



A A Anal fin large ; radii 24.5. 



Caudal emarginate ; pectoral spine not denticulate ; barbels reaching 

 gill opening ; head wide as long. a. borealis. 



Candal deeply furcate ; head narrow, pectoral spine dentate, barbels to 

 end of humeral process. a. kiveiventer. ' 



Of other species of the genus, I have omitted A. puma Gird. A. natalis 

 Les., and A. felis Agass, all belonging to section I, owing to the imper- 

 fections in the descriptions. A. albidus Lesueur, is, I think, founded on 

 adults of A. nebulosus Les. A. obesus Gill of which I have examined 

 numerous specimens from Minnesota, two from the Miami, Ohio, and one 

 from the Kiskiminitas River, in West Pennsylvania, I cannot distinguish 

 from A. catulus Girard (U. S. Pac. R. R. Eept. X). Of species adopted, 

 A. catulus Girard, may be found eventually to be varieties of A. nebu- 

 losus. The A. mispilliensis, A. lophius and A. niveiventiis, are now de- 

 scribed for the first time. 



77. AmiUrus platycephalus, Girard. 



Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Pliila. 1859, 160. 



This well marked species approaches nearer the genus Hopladelus than 

 any other Amiurus in its elongate, flattened body and head, and in the 

 large number (11) of its branchiostegal radii. It abounds in the Catawba 

 and Yadkin Rivers, Where it is justly valued as an article of food. 



Amiurus mispilliensis, Cope. 



Spec, nov, 



This species is related to the common A, nebulosus, but has a narrow 

 muzzle, larger eyes and a ventral ray less than any other species of the 

 section. Width of head 4.66 times in length; eye 3,25 times between 

 orbits, m.axillary beard extending beyond base of pectoral fins. Pectoi-al 

 spine dentate, dorsal spine smooth. DI. 6 ; V.1.6 ; A. 21. Above entirely 

 black ; below, white anterior to anal fin. The mental barbels blackish. The 

 maxillary barbels extend to beyond base of pectoral fin, and the mentals 

 to the branchiostegal margin. Entire length 8 in.; depth 1 in. 8 lines. 



I took this specimen in the Mispillion Creek, a sluggish stream in the 

 southern part of the State of Delaware. It doubtless occui's in similai' 

 streams in "the Peninsulai" 



