SILURID^. 85 



based on this species than on an albino of catus, as supposed by Prof. 

 Cope, I have therefore substituted the appropriate name albidus for 

 the unmeaning lyiix. This is an extremely variable species. Old speci- 

 mens bear a strong resemblance to the next species, while the young are 



quite slender. 



10. AMIURUS LOPHIUS, Cope. 



Big-moutlied Cat 



(Figs. 17 and 18.) 



Amiurus i4sphius, Cgpe (1870), Proc. Am. Philos. Soc. 486. — Jordan (1876), Manual Vert. 

 301.— Jordan & Copeland (1876), Check List, 160. 



Habitat — Streams tributary to Chesapeake Bay. A. lophius is a com- 

 mon fish in the Washington markets. 

 The synonymy of this species requires no special remark. 



11. AMIURUS EREBENNUS, (Jordan) sp. nov. 



Goode's Cat. 



(Figs. 19 and 20.) 



Habitat. — St. John's River, Florida. 



This species is related to A. nigricans and others of the fork-tailed 

 group, but has the truncate caudal fin of -4. lividus. 



Body rather elongate, compressed, the depth about 4^ in length ; 

 dorsal region rather elevated, the head quite long and narrowed for- 

 ward, 4 times in length of body. The head is more narrowed than in 

 any of the other species except A. lupus. The width of the head in 

 front of the eye is but little more than half its length. The width of 

 the mouth is about half the length of the head. The greatest width of 

 the head is contained about 1^ times in its length. The dorsal fin is 

 slightly nearer the snout than the adipose fin. 



The dorsal fin is unusually high, its spine is long, as in the species of 

 IcMlioBlurus. The pectoral spine is very strong and it is about half as 

 long as the head. The anal fin is long and deep. It is nearly one- 

 fourth the length of the body, and is composed of 24 rays. The adipose 

 fin is large. The caudal fin is rather short and is truncate behind. 



The jaws are equal. The supraoccipital bone is but little free behind. 

 The branchial apertures are rather more restricted than usual. 



nigricans, Le Sueur says, " caudale 16g6rement echancr^e en croissant." It seems that 

 Prof. Gill had some time since independently reached a similar conclusion, and 

 that the ^^ Amiurus lynx" has been for some time correctly known as A. albidus by the 

 members of the Fish Commission. 



