THE BULLHEAD 



269 



creeks of the United States, and in the heat of midsummer 

 holds on whence all but him have fled. He was built for mud 

 bottoms and murky waters, and so long as the mud is thin 

 enough to swim in, and deep enough to float him, he remains. 



Drawn by J. Carter Beard, 



COMMON BULLHEAD. 



When removed from his native element, the tenacity of life 

 of this creature is astonishing. A bullhead will lie on the 

 bank in midsummer sunshine and breathe hot air for an 

 hour without giving up. 



The species of catfishes found in the United States num- 

 ber about thirty, but it is recorded that elsewhere there are 

 about 970 more, representing in all about 100 genera. Of 



