75 



109. Ictiobus bubalus, Raf.— Small-mouthed Buffalo; Quill- back Buf- 



falo. 



(Bui. II. 66; Bubalichthi/s cyanellus: Synop. 116; Biibalichthys alius; 

 M. v., 322 and 325; liubalichthys alius, liubalichthys bubalinus.) 



A very abundant fish in the larger streams, and in the bottom lakes; this 

 and the red-mouth being the species commonly shipped under the name of 

 •'buffalo fish," from the Illinois and the other larger rivers. They are among 

 the most important commercial fishes in our streams. 



110. Ictiobus urus, Agassiz.— Btg-mouthed Buffalo; Black Buffalo; 



Mongrel Buffalo. 



(Bui. II, 05; Bubalichthys urus: M. V., 323 Ichthyobus cyanellus.) 

 Taken by us only in the Illinois river, where it is somewhat rare. 



111. Ictiobus cyprinellus, C. & V.— Red MOUTH Buffalo. 



(Bui. II, 65; Ichthyobus bubalus: Synop. 114; Ictiobus bubalus.) 



One of the most abundant edible fishes in the larger rivers and their lakes, 

 ascending the smaller creeks in spring. In the laboratory collections from 

 the Illinois and its larger tributaries, and from the Ohio and Wabash. 



Order VII. NEMATOGNATHI. 



Family XXII. SILURID^. (The Cat-Fishes.) 



Genus 61. Ictalurus, Raf. 



112. Ictalurus furcatics, C. & V. 



Confined, in our experience, to southern localities, and taken by us only in 

 the Ohio. Not known in the Illinois river, as far as I am aware; known to 

 the southward, at least, as the channel cat or blue cat. I have not taken this 

 species in creeks. 



113. Ictalurus punctatus, Raf. — Willow Cat; Channel Cat; White Cat. 

 (Bu!. II, 66; Ichthcelurus punctatus , Ichthcelurus robustus.) 



Abundant from the larger rivers, reaching a weight of from 20 to 25 pounds. 



Found in the deeper water of the Mississippi, Ohio and Illinois, and occur- 

 ring likewise in the larger creeks connected with these streams, and occasion- 

 ally in overflow ponds in the river bottoms. 



114. Ictalurus ponderosus, Bean. — Great Cat-fish. 



One of the gigantic cat-fishes. Described from the Mississippi at St. Louis. 

 Has not occurred in our collections, unless some specimens belong to it which 

 are apparently intermediate between this and Ictahiris nigricans. I doubt if 

 it is distinct from the latter. 



115. Ictalurus nigricans, Le Sueur. — Cat-fish of the Lakes; Great Fork- 



tail Cat; Mississippi Cat; Florida Cat; Flannel-mouth Cat. 



(Bui. II, 66; Amiurus nigricans: Synop., 108; Ictalurus lacustris.) 



One of the gigantic cat- fishes of the Ohio, Illinois, and Mississippi, and of 

 Lake Michigan. Probably the most abundant of the large species. 



