26 THE FISHES OF OHIO. 



with A. melas. Recorded by Kirtlaud as A, xanthocephalus, and 

 by Jordan as A. melas and xanthocephalus. " Very common in 

 Ohio and Little Miami rivers and Mill creek," Henshall, 1888 ; 

 Lorain County, "common in all streams and ponds," McCor- 

 mick, 1892 ; Maumee river at Cecil and St. Mary's river at 

 Rockford, Kirsch, 1893 ; Franklin County, in nearly all streams, 

 Williamson and Osburn, 1897; Big Jelloway creek at Howard, 

 Parker, Williamson and Osburn, 1898 ; Ohio river at Ironton, 

 Huron river at Milan, Wabash river at Celina, Stillwater and 

 Wolf creeks at Dayton, North Fork of Licking river at Newark, 

 R. C. Osburn, 1899 I Sandusky, Prof. D. S. Kellicott, Williamson 

 and Osburn, 1896; Niggermill run at Salem, E. B. Williamson, 

 1900 ; Sandusky bay at " Black Channel," Breakneck creek and 

 Cuyahoga river near Kent, and Licking reservoir, R. C. Osburn, 

 1900; June 22 is given as a breeding date by Williamson and 

 Osburn. 



Gemis : LFPTOPS. 



Leptops olivaris (Rafinesque). Mud Cat. 



Body slender, depressed forward, the head extremely flat, the lower jaw 

 "the longer. Dorsal spine very weak, only y 2 the height of the fin ; caudal 

 fin slightly emarginate ; anal short, its base about \ the length of body, its 

 rays 12 to 15. Yellowish, much mottled with brown and greenish, whitish 

 below. Size large, reaching a weight of 50 to 75 pounds. 



Jordan says, " This species abounds in the Ohio river and its 

 larger tributaries," but it is probably common nowhere in Ohio 

 except in the southwestern part of the state. Henshall records 

 it for White Oak creek and the Ohio river, 1889 ; and in 1892 

 McCormick mentions the occurrence in Lake Erie, Lorain 

 County, as "quite rare; I have seen but one specimen fresh, 

 though I have noticed heads on the beach." 



Genus: Noturus. 



Noturus fiavus Rafinesque. Yellow Stone Cat. 



Head broad and flat, much depressed, 4 in length of body. Body terete, 

 tail compressed. Soft dorsal fin keel-like, separated from caudal by a deep 

 notch. Dorsal spine very short, only y 2 as long as pectoral spine ; caudal 

 rounded ; anal short, its rays about 16. Brownish yellow, varying into bluish 

 or blackish. Length 1 foot. 



