MENOBRANCHUS LATERALIS. 121 



Its food is the various univalve shells, &c. Dr. Mitchell says he has found in the 

 stomach of the Menobranchus lateralis, individuals of the Lymnaea heterostropha, 

 and also crustaceous animals of the Oniscus family. It is frequently caught by 

 the hook when baited for eels or catfish, (silurus,) "though little desired by the 

 fishermen, who believe it to be poisonous, and hold it in such abhorrence as seldom 

 to take it in hand even to disengage it from the hook when caught." 



I have never seen this animal alive, yet have every reason to believe the 

 accompanying drawing very accurate, as it was done from life, and under the 

 direction of my friend Professor Troost; besides, it corresponds in general with 

 the description of the living animal, as given by Professor Benedict to Mr. Barnes; 

 "The gills are of most rich crimson, and these the animal keeps in constant motion 

 as a fish does the gills; in bringing them down to the neck, the filaments are 

 brought pretty close to the fleshy fimbriee; on elevating them, the fimbrice dilate 

 and float as it were in the water, presenting from the beauty of their colour and 

 gracefulness of their motion an appearance beautiful beyond description." 



Geographical Distribution. The Menobranchus lateralis is found in most of 

 the great northern lakes, as Erie, &c. At Lake Champlain they are common, 

 and are said to be numerous in Onion river, one of its tributaries, especially at 

 the falls, near Burlington, in Vermont. Say found it in the Alleghany river, and 

 it abounds also in many other of the western waters, as I am informed by Troost. 



General Remarks. There can be no doubt that this animal was first described 

 by Schneider;* indeed his description is too good to be mistaken; he says he found 



* Pervenit eo ex Americano lacu Champlain dicto transmissum, ubi captuni cum piscibus 

 timent ceu venenatum piscatores. Corpus ultra 8 pollices longum et fere pollicem crassum, 

 molle, spongiosum, multis poris pervium, in utroque latere tribus macularum rotundarum, 

 nigrarum seriebus variegatum: cauda compressa et anceps, utrinque maculata, inferiore acie 

 recta, superiore curvata, in finem teretiusculum terminatur. Caput latum et planum: oculi 

 parvi, nares anteriores in margine labii superioris, maxillae superioris geminae ut inferioris 

 dentes conici, obtusi, satis longi; lingua lata, integra, anterius soluta: apertura oris patet usque 



