57 



Ameiurus naUtlls (Ijc Suer). — Yellow Cat; Yellow Bullhead. 



Body ttiifk; skin very smooth and thin. Called by fishermen "greaser" or "greased cat," 

 and readily separated In- them from other huUlieads. 



ConimOn throuerhoiit tlie Stale, except In strcam.s tritmtary to Lake Michigan, and in the 

 northwestern portion of the Illinois and l<"ox liasins, occurring in the latter region only in 

 collections from Cartliafj:c, Hancock county. Taken, in all, from 76 localities. 

 AineUiniN ri(l<i<triN ('rhomp.son). 



Apparently rare in Illinois; possibly not distinguishable from ./. melas. 

 AmchiiKH )ui)iil(>.sits (Le iSueur). — Common Jiullhead. 



Anal fin long; upper jaw projecting; in many specimens the color mottled (var. mat mo 

 ratiis ) . 



Taken from 43 localities in Illinois. Apparently less abundant at Havana and Meredosia 

 than other bullheads. 



Ainciuvu^ melas (Rafinesc[ue). — Black Bullhead. 



The most common of Illinois catfishes. The young are black in color and swim in schools 

 until about I '4 inches long; 



Al)undant throughout the State, with apparent exceptions in the Kankakee, Rock, and 

 middle Kaskaskia basins. Found in 179 localities in all. 



Lcjitops olirdris (Kafinescfue). — Mud Cat: (xoujon; Flat-head. 



A common market catfish of the Illinois River, being excellent as food. Exceedingly 

 ugly; the head verv flat, mouth broad, spines short and thickly covered with solt skin ; up- 

 per part of the caudal white in the young and continuing lighter than the lower portion in 

 adults. 



Thirty localities represented in our collections, all of which are from mudd\- streams. Not 

 found in the Lake Michigan region. 



Noturus flavus Rafinesque. — Stone Cat. 



This fish is usually mistaken for a young bullhead. From these it differs decidedly in 

 habits and also, as do the other stone cats, in the form of the adipose fin, which is keel-like, 

 and may be either separated from the caudal by a notch or continous with the upper mar- 

 gin of the latter. This species can usually be separated from the other stone cats by the 

 presence of a white or whitish spot of somewhat crescentic form under the posterior margin 

 of the dorsal. 



Confined to the north half of the State where it is found under stones in the swifter 

 portions of the larger creeks and small rivers. Not listed from further southward than the 

 Kaskaskia River, in Douglas county. Found in greater abundance in Mackinaw Creek than 

 elsewhere. Our collections are from .37 localities. 



' Schilheodest (lyrinus (Mitchill). — Tadpole Cat; Poison Cat. (65) 



A stone cat, as shown by form of the adipose fin, but in habit much like a young bull- 

 head, preferring deep, muddy water. The form of the body is in adults much like that of 

 Ameiiints nalalis: easily separated from the latter bj' the dark lateral stripe, which ex- 

 tends the length of the body, connecting the angles of the muscle plates. 



Abundant in the sluggish portions of all streams of central Illinois; common in southern 

 Illinois; somewhat rare in the northwestern part of the State. 



Schllbcodcx noctuDius (Jordan & Gilbert). 



Body bro\\n, covered with minnte dots; no notch between adipose and caudal; 15 or 16 

 Tays in the causal. Length 3 inches. 



Occurs in ten collections: two from Havana, three from near Lincoln, three from 

 points on the Kaskaskia River, one from Spoon River near Lewistown, and one from the 

 south fork of the Saline River in Saline county. 



Schllbeodes exilis (Nelson). (61) 



With much the appearance of Noinn/s Jfan/s, including even the white spot behind the 

 dorsal, but in this fish the crescentic spot is much less evident that in the larger species. 



From Crane Creek, Freeport, South Henderson and Honey creeks in Henderson county. 

 Iroquois River near Watseka, and creeks in Union county. 



Schilbcodcx cleiithcnis (Jordan). (64) 



Length 4 inches. Color brownish, with obscure, dark, saddle-like blotches; head broad, 

 flat: barbels not reaciiing to gill-opening. 



The distribution of this catfish is peculiar, it being known at present only from creeks 

 near Lincoln, and from the headwaters of the Kaskaskia and Embarras rivers in Douglas 

 -and Piatt counties. 



ScJnJbeodcx miurus (Jordan). (63) 



Known by its grayish color and the four black blotches on the back. 



Common on gravelly rapiris throughout the Wabash basin: taken once from Cache River 

 .and once from a creek near Pontiac. 



