SILURIDJE. 101 



This species, although a very abundant one in the Mississippi Valley, 

 seems to have been entirely overlooked by our writers on Ichthyology ; 

 the great development and serration of the pectoral spines will always 

 serve to distinguish it froui all of the preceding. I have seen specimens 

 from Louisiana as well as from various localities in the Ohio Valley and 

 from Lake Michigan. 



27. NOTUEUS ELEUTHERUS, Jordan* 

 Free-finned Stone Cat. 

 (Figs. 62 and 63.) 

 Noturus eleutherus, Jordan (1877), Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. — . 



Habitat — French Broad Eiver, Tennessee; Tar Eiver, North Caro- 

 lina.. 



This fish is not a variety of miurus; it is either a distinct species or 

 a very remarkable monstrosity. I think now that the former is the 

 case, and I have designated it by the above name, in allusion to the 

 adipose fin being free from the caudal. The type-specimen from the 

 French Broad Eiver very strougly resembles a young Pelodichthys, but 

 has the npper jaw longer. The adipose fin is, as usual, decurrent, but 

 it is entirely separate from the beginning of the caudal. 



*Noturiis eleutherus, Joudan. — Since the first pait of this paper was printed, I have 

 been able to exaaiiue a large number of fine specimens collected by Mr. J. W. Milner, 

 of the United States Fish Commission, in the Tar River near Tarboro', N C. These 

 specimens show the following charaters : — 



Body stout, broad forward, tapering behind. Head large, flattish, 4^ in length ot 

 body, without caudal ; depth of body 5^- in length ; width of head 43- in length of body. 

 Mouth large, the upper jaw much projecting ; barbels rather long. Adipose tin rather 

 high, so deeply notched that the continuity of the fin is broken for a distance nearly 

 equal to the diameter of the eye. A strong keel on the back in front of the adipose fin. 

 Caudal fin rounded. Distance from snout to dorsal 3 in length of body. Pectoral 

 spine in this distance 2 times, in head li. Dorsal spine f the height of the fin, 3i times 

 in distance from snout to dorsal, 2| in length of head. Pectinations of pectoral spine 

 very strong, recurved, nearly as long as the diameter of the spine. Front of pectoral 

 spine with small teeth turned forward. Fin-radii : D. 1, 7 ; A. 12; P. 1, 8 ; V. 9. Color 

 much as in N. miurus, extensively variegated. Snout, cheeks, and occipital region 

 black. A black bar across front of dorsal, one behind dorsal, and another across mid- 

 dle of adipose fin ; base of caudal fin black. One or two narrow horizontal black bars 

 across dorsal and anal neax their tips. Caudal vaguely barred, largely black, its tip 

 white. Length of specimens 4f iuches. 



This is one of the most striking of our Siluridce. Its relations are with N. miurus 

 but the nearly free adipose fin will always serve to distinguish it. ,1 have seen no 

 peqimens of viiiirus so large and sto ut as those of elcuthcru-'i. 



