The Catfish Family 245 



spots on its sides. It is also known as white- 

 cat and blue-cat in various parts of its range. 

 It is found in rivers of the Great Lake region 

 and Mississippi Valley, and in the streams 

 tributary to the Gulf of Mexico. 



It is the most trimly-built of all the catfishes, 

 with a long, slender body and small head. It is 

 olivaceous or slate color above, sides pale and 

 silvery, with small, round, dark spots ; belly 

 white ; fins usually with dark edgings. 



Unlike most of the catfishes the channel-cat 

 is found only in clear or swift streams, never in 

 still, muddy situations. It is a clean, wholesome 

 fish, and feeds mostly on minnows and crawfish. 

 It is a good food-fish, the flesh being white and 

 firm and of a rich flavor. It grows to a weight 

 of twenty pounds, occasionally, though usually 

 to five or six pounds. 



The channel-cat is a very fine game-fish. It 

 takes the live minnow readily, also shedder craw- 

 fish, and will not refuse earthworms, cut butcher 

 meat or liver. When hooked it is second to no 

 other fish of its size as a bold, strong fighter be- 

 neath the surface. The angler who has " tackled," 

 in a literal sense, a channel-cat of five pounds, 

 on a light rod, can vouch for its gameness. 



