FISHES OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. II 



Family V. AMIID^. The Bowfins. 



6. Aiiiia calva Linnaeus. Dogfish. 



[Jord. Man. 47. O. St. Surv. 10.] 



Rather elongated, dark lead-colored above, nearly white below. 

 Sides with greenish wavy markings, most conspicuous in the 

 young; males have a round black spot on the tail. ]\Iouth large, 

 set with strong teeth. Head covered with bony plates, a broad, bony 

 plate between the arches of the lower jaio. Length i to 23^ feet. 

 (See plate 2.) 



Rare; once in a great while one is brought in from the pounds, 

 and I have taken one in a seine in Black River. 



Family VL SILUKID^. The Catfishes. 

 Everybody knows a catfish — the smooth skin, big head, strong 

 spines and fringe of (8) barbels about the wide mouth, marking a 

 very conspicuous group. Some of the species grow very large and 

 are highly prized as food. Catfish are taken in pound nets and on 

 set lines, and with pole and line tackle. Leeches and salamanders 

 form favorite bait for set lines, though fresh meat is used also. 

 The smaller species of Ameiurus are called Bullheads indiscrimi- 

 nately. 



7. Ictalill'US puuf-tatus (Rafinesque). Channel or 

 Silver Cat. 



[Joid. Man. 51. O. St. Surv. 14.] 



Slender and graceful, tail forked. A continuous bony ridge from 

 back of head to dorsal fin. Silvery white or olivaceous, with small, 

 dark, round spots; old specimens darker. Reaches a weight of 

 about 5 pounds. 



Common, being one of the species taken on handlines. The 

 young are plentiful in the streams below the dams, but have not 

 been detected above. 



8. Aiueiurvis nigricans (Le Sueur). Blue Cat.' 



[Jord. Man. 52 O. St. Surv. 15.] 



Slaty bluish, young lighter, body stouter than in the channel 

 cat and the tail not so deeply forked; bony ridge from skull to dorsal 

 spine broken. 



Common in the lake and lower parts of the rivers. This 

 species attains a weight of 100 pounds or more, but I have 

 never seen a specimen of more than 40 pounds from the lake, 

 and 5 pounds is probably a fair average. Highly prized as food. 



