IN THE ALLEGHENY REGION OF SOUTH-WESTERN VIRGINIA. 237 



SILURID^. 

 Silurids are not abundant in the part of the Holston examined. 



NOTURUS Rafinesque. 



Three species of this genus are in the museum of the Academy, and may be thus 



distinguished : 



A band of palatine teeth; head more tlian four times in length to basis 

 caudal; dorsal longer than high ; maxillary barbels short, not reach- 

 ing pectoral ; yellowish, fins yellow-edged, ..... flavus.* 



No palatine teeth ; head four times to basis caudal; dorsal higher than 

 long; maxillary barbels reaching beyond basis pectoral; brownish, 

 fins black-edged, marginatus. 



No palatine teeth ; head elongate, flat ; a little over three times in 

 length to basis caudal ; maxillary barbels reaching to beyond base of 

 pectoral ; brownish, caudal fin yellow-edged, ..... gyrinus. 



NOTURUS MARGINATUS Baird. 



One specimen from Sinking Creek of the Kanawha, and one from the head of 

 James River ; similar specimens from the Susquehanna. 



HOPLADELUS Raf. Gill, emend. 



HOPLADELUS OLIYARIS Raf. 



This fish is abundant in the Kanawha, and is valued as food. It attains a weight 

 of fifty pounds ; one weighing thirty came under my observation. The fry only are 

 found in the creeks. They are very dark, the caudal and some other fins white- 

 edged. When older they are olive, banded with black ; they grow lighter with age, 

 the large individuals being greenish-yellow ; the white fin margins disappear early. 



ICHTH^LURUS Raf Gill, emend. 



ICHTHyELURUS CCERULESCENS Raf 



This species abounds in the Kanawha, but is not known above the lalls of more 

 than twenty-five pounds weight. It is deservedlj' valued as a table-fish, and is an 

 important source of supply to the poorer people in the neighborhood of the stream. 

 Confined to the river channels. 



*Many specimens iii Mus. Academy from the Miami Eiv., Indiana, from Elijah Coffin ; also from iMichi^'aii, 

 and from the Kiskiminitas, West Pennsylvania. 



Noturus gyrinus, Silurus rjyrmus Mitchell. 

 Two specimens in Mus. Academy; one from the Delaware Water Gap, Pa. 



