62 



FISHES OF NORTH CAHOLINA. 



dd. No continuous bony ridge from snout to dorsal fin; caudal typically short and 



square Ameiurus. 



cc. Bapd of teeth in upper jaw extending backward at its outer posterior angles. 



Leptops. 



66. Adipose fin ridge-like, its posterior edge attached to back or continuous with caudal; a 



poison gland at base of pectoral fins Schilbeodes. 



While not the objects of special fisheries, the cat-fishes are caught in large 

 quantities in various parts of the state, and are of increasing economic import- 

 ance. From 55,220 pounds, worth $1,248, in 1889, the catch rose to 404,600 

 pounds, worth $11,971, in 1902. The counties which lead in cat-fish production 

 are Currituck, Pasquotank, Chowan, Dare, Beaufort, and New Hanover, more 

 than 25 per cent of the output in the last named year being from Dare. The 

 flesh of the cat-fishes is fine, white, and well-flavored; and the demand for them 

 both locally and for shipment outside the state seems to be growing, especially 

 as regards the fresh-water species. 



Genus FELICHTHYS Swainson. Sea Cat-fishes. 



This genus, represented by a number of salt-water species on both coasts of 

 tropical America, has one member inhabiting the Atlantic coast of the United 

 States. The mouth is large; the lower jaw projects; the teeth on vomer and 

 palatines form a crescent-shaped band; the nape has a granulated bony buckler; 

 the caudal is deeply forked. {Felichthys , cat-fish.) 



Fig. 15. Sea Cat-fish. Felichthys fdis. 



30. FELICHTHYS FELIS (Linnseus). 



"Silver Cat-fish"; "Sea Cat-fish"; QaflE-topsail Oat(Ga.); 

 Large-moutlied Cat (S. C). 



Silurus felis Linnseus, Systema Naturse, ed. xii, 503, 1766; Charleston, S. C. 



^lurichthye marinue. Yarrow, 1877, 216; Beaufort. Jordan & Gilbert, 1879, 385; Beaufort. Jordan, 1886, 



26; Beaufort. Smith, 1893o, 188, 194; Edenton Bay. Smith, 1893b, pi. xliv. 

 Felichthys marinus, Jordan & Evermann, 1896, 118, pi. xxxiii, fig. 52. 

 j^litrichthys fdis, Gunther, Proceedings Linnaean Society of London, 1899, 30.- 

 Felichthys felis, Jordan & Evermann, 1900, 3196. 



Diagnosis. — ^Body elongate, depth more than .2 total length; head short, broad, rather 

 less than .25 total length, maxillary barbels very long, extending beyond base of dorsal fin; 



