THE FISHES OF XEW JERSEY 



167 



V^ery abundant in the Delaware and met with in most of its 

 lower tributaries. The largest examples I have seen were taken 

 in the main course of the river, and frequently by shad fishermen 

 in the spring. They are also taken in gill-nets. It is an im- 

 portant and valuable food-fish of excellent quality. In life they 

 vary at times in color, some much darker and others lighter, but 

 always with a beautiful glistening reflection over most of the 

 body. Occasionally examples have been seen with cloudings or 

 with a somewhat marbled appearance. It resembles our other 

 species, but may be distinguished at all times by the deeply 

 emarginate tail. 



White Cat Fish. Amciurus catus (Linnaeus). 



Ajiiiiinis cafiis Jovdmi, An. X. Y. Acad. Sci., I. 1879. P- ii8- — 

 Abbott, X'at. Rambles, 1885, p. 479. 



Pimelodus albidiis Le Sueur, Mem. AIus. Hist. Xat. Paris, V, 

 1819, P- 148. 



Amiurus albidus Abbott, Geol. X^. J., 1868, p. 826. 



Amiiinis lynx Abbott, Rep. U. S. F. Com., 1875-76, pp. 841, 

 843- 



Ameiurus natalis prosthistius (Cope). 



Cat Fish. 



Head 3^'-; depth 4^ ; D. I, 6; A. iii, 24; width of head lyi 

 in its length; snout 2j^ ; eye 9^^ ; width of mouth 2 ; interorbital 

 space 2; dorsal spine 3; pectoral spine 2.)4 : pectoral fin iji) 



