AMIURUS. 139 



Anal with 21 rays ; pectoral spine ? the length oi^ head, its inner edge with 



5 strong serrse ; maxillary Ijarbel extending to basal part of pectoral . . 6. meeki. 



2. Pectoral spine with inner edge entire or very indistinctly serrated. 



Anal with 26 rays; pectoral spine a little less than ^ the length of head; 



maxillary barbel extending to middle of pectoral fin 7- ausirallfi. 



Anal with 20 or 21 rays ; pectoral spine a little less than ^ the length of head ; 

 maxillary barbel extending to basal part of pectoral ; middle caudal rays 

 t as long as the longest rays 8. raexicanus. 



Anal with 20 to 21' rays ; pectoral spine about J; ihe length of head ; maxillary 

 barbel extending to basal part of pectoral ; middle caudal rays not more 

 than \ as long as the longest 9. dugesi. 



Anal with 24 to 26 rays ; pectoral spine .V the length of head ; maxillary barbel 



extending to basal pai't of pectoral fin 10. balsanus. 



II. Caudal fin subtrnncate. (Amiurus.) 

 Anal with 24. to 27 rays 11. natalis. 



1. Amiurus meridionalis. 



Amiurus meridionalis, Giinth. Cat. Fish. v. p. 102 (1864) ', and Trans. Zool, Soc. vi. 1868, p. 473, 



t. 81. fig. 1 \ 

 Ictalurus meridionalis, Jord. & Everm. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. xlvii. 1896, p. 135 '. 

 Ichthymlurus meridionalis, Meek, Publ. Columbian Mus., Zool. v. 1904, p. 11 \ 



Hah. Mexico, Eio Otopa in Vera Cruz "* ; Guatemala, Rio Usumacinta ^ - and Rio 

 Chi soy (Salvin). 



The largest of four specimens in the British Museum measures 340 mm. in total 

 length. 



2. Amiurus punctatus. 



Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque) , Jord. & Everm. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. xlvii. 1896, p. 135 \ 

 Ichthycelurus punctatus. Meek, Publ. Columbian Mus., Zool. v. 1904, p. 135". 



Hah. Great Lakes to Taraaulipas ^ -. 



I have examined specimens from Arkansas and the Ohio River ; the species is said 

 to attain to a weight of twenty-five pounds. 



3. Amiurus furcatus. 



Ictalurus furcatus (Le Sueur), Jord. & Everm. BuU. U.S. Nat. Mus. xlvii. 1896, p. 134'. 

 Ichthyatlurus furcatus, Meek, Publ. Columbian Mus., Zool. v. 1904, p. 10 -. 



Hah. Iowa and Ohio to Tamaulipas ^ -. 



This species is said to attain a weight of forty pounds. I have examined a few 

 small specimens, including one of the types of A. ajffinis, Baird & Girard, and 



T2 



