ANGUILLID^. 65 



outline 3-lobed; this appearance is due to the fact that the dentary bones lie 

 •close together, parallel, and are united throughout their length, instead of 

 forming an arch as in all other Cyprinidcc ; lower lip represented by a broad, 

 fleshy lobe on either side of the mandible. Color olivaceous, smoky or dark 

 above; a blackish bar behind opercle, and a dusky shade at base of caudal 

 in young. Fins all plain. Length 6 inches. 



Rare in Ohio. Six specimens were taken by the writer in 

 Stillwater creek near Dayton, Aug. 15, 1899. The range of the 

 species is to the eastward. West of the Alleghenies it has here- 

 tofore been known only from the Kanawha river, West Virginia. 



Order : AFODES. 



Sub-Order: Enchelycephali. 



Family : Anguillid^;. 



Genus : Anguilla. 



Anguilla chrysypa Rafinesque. American Eei, ; 

 Freshwater Eel. 



Body elongate, compressed behind; appearing scaleless, but covered 

 "with fine, imbedded scales. Head long, conical, moderately pointed. 

 Dorsal and anal fins confluent with caudal. Color brown, often tinged with 

 yellowish; paler below, the color quite variable. Length 4 or 5 feet. 



The Eel appears to be nowhere very common in Ohio, but is 

 widely distributed throughout the state, and probably occurs in 

 every lake, reservoir and large stream. Rafinesque mentions its 

 occurrence in the Ohio " as far as Pittsburg ;" Kirtland records 

 it for the Ohio river drainage ; Lake Erie and Ohio river, Hen- 

 shall, 1889 ; Lorain County, " occasionally taken in the pounds," 

 McCormick, 1892; Maumee river at Defiance, "said to inhabit 

 all waters of the Maumee basin," Kirsch, 1893 ; Franklin County, 

 observed in Big Walnut creek, reported by fishermen as "not 

 rare," Williamson and Osburn, 1897 > Pippin lake and Chippewa 

 lake, R. C. Osburn, 1900. I have seen specimens taken in Lick- 

 ing reservoir, Licking river and North Fork of Licking river. 

 According to Kirtland the Eel did not formerly inhabit the Lake 

 Erie drainage, but if not, it has found its way there through the 

 •canals. 



