SIL,URID.£. 27 



Widely distributed and generally common in suitable locali- 

 ties. It. is found most abundantly on stony ripples of the larger 

 •streams, and on sandy and gravelly bottoms of rivers and lakes. 

 "Occasionally found beneath stones in the Mahoning river," 

 Kirtland ; ' ' much more abundant in the Ohio and its immediate 

 tributaries than in the streams of the interior, ' ' Jordan ; ' ' abun- 

 dant in Little Miami river, Mill creek and nearly all streams ' ' 

 (Hamilton County), Henshall, 1888; Lorain County, "larger 

 streams and the lake," McCormick. 1892 ; Maumee river at 

 Defiance, Grand Rapids and Waterville, Fish creek at Kdgerton, 

 St. Mary's river at Rockford, Auglaize river at Cloverdale and 

 Defiance, Blanchard river at Ottawa, Hoaglin creek at Oakland, 

 and Blanchard river and Sugar creek at Cloverdale, Kirsch, 1893 ; 

 Franklin Count} 7 , "abundant in all larger streams, Scioto and 

 Olentangy rivers, Big Walnut, Little Walnut, Alum, Big and 

 Little Darby creeks, Black Lick and Hell Branch," Williamson 

 and Osburn, 1897 ; Knox County, Big Jelloway creek, Parker, 

 Williamson and Osburn, 1898 ; John's creek at Waterloo, Huron 

 river at Milan, North Fork of Licking river at Newark, R. C. 

 Osburn, 1899 ; Lake Erie at Sandusk} 7 , frequently thrown up 

 dead on the beach b} 7 the waves ; not noticed in Sandusky bay, 

 Wheeling creek at Bridgeport, Ohio river at Bellaire, R. C. 

 Osburn, 1900. 



Genus: Schilbeodes. 

 Key to Species. 



A. Pectoral spine entire or grooved behind, never retrcrsely serrate ; adipose fin high 



and continuous, not separated by a notch from the caudal. — gyrimts. 



AA. Pectoral spine distinctly serrate behind. 



B. Adipose fin nearly or quite free from caudal ; color nearly plain brownish, 

 saddle-like blotches faint, everywhere pigmented with fine dots ; anterior 

 edge of pectoral spine retrorsely serrate. — ' e'entherus. 



BB. Adipose fin not quite free from caudal ; color much variegated, back with dis- 

 tinct saddle-like blotches ; pectoral spine strong, its anterior edge with few 

 serrations. — miurus. 



Schilbeodes gyrinus (Mitchill). Chubby Stone Cat; 



Tadpole Cat. 



Head large, broad and depressed, 3^ to 4 in length ; mouth wide, jaws 



about equal. Body short and stout, pot-bellied, shaped much like a tadpole. 



Caudal peduncle comparatively long and compressed. Pectoral spine not 



serrated behind, but grooved instead. Anal fin with 13 rays. Soft dorsal 



