122 BULLETIN OF THE BTJREATJ OF FISHERIES 



In the vicinity of Greenwood the yellow cat appears to be a stream fish and was found only 

 in the rapid waters of Big Sandy Creek near the Valley Hill station. It may inhabit the near-by 

 rivers, but, as stated elsewhere, the extent of collecting accomplished in these waters was negligible. 

 Big Sandy Creek closely resembles Pelucia Creek and, although the latter was seined upon numerous 

 occasions, the yellow catfish was taken nowhere except in Big Sandy Creek. 



Stomach examinations of the three specimens in the collection showed it to be a decidedly 

 carnivorous form. The largest specimen had swallowed one of its own species, approximately 25 

 millimeters long. The other two had fed upon small fish and insect larva?. 



In Illinois (Forbes and Richardson, 1908, p. 194), the yellow cat spawns during April and early 

 May. The local spawning period could not be determined from the small specimens available. 



22. Schilbeodeo gyrinus (Mitchill) 



Tadpole cat 



Silwrus gyrinits Mitchill, American Monthly Magazine, 1818, p. 322. 



Two specimens, 52 and 57 millimeters (2 to 2Vs inches) in length, were taken in company with 

 the willow cat in a borrow pit situated on the Itta Bena Road, which was largely overgrown with the 

 primrose willow. The species was not seen elsewhere. In this species the adipose fin is continuous 

 with the caudal, without a definite notch, the pectoral spines have no bony hooks, and the jaws 

 are equal. 



23. Fundulus notatus (Rafinesque) 

 Top minnow; Top-water minnow; Black-banded minnow 

 Semolilus notaius Haflnesque, Ichthyologia Ohiensis, 1820, p. 86. 



This minnow, widely distributed through the central plains region and the Gulf drainage, is 

 represented in the present collection by 10 specimens, ranging in length from 36 to 80 millimeters 

 (13^ to 33^ inches). In the adult the males are distinguished from the females by the much more 

 numerous black specks above the dark lateral band. The female generally has only one or two 

 rows of dark specks above the lateral band, whereas the male has several rows and is speckled 

 everywhere except on the back in advance of dorsal. In the female the lateral band is uniformly 

 black and definitely defined, both above and below. In the male the lateral band is crossed 

 by short black bars, at least anteriorly, which are a little greater in length than the width of the 

 band and extend slightly below it and sometimes also slightly above it, making the outline of the 

 lateral band irregular. 



This is the most conspicuous minnow of our inland waters, apparently always present at the 

 surface, where it may be seen from a distance, and in swimming it leaves ripples on the water, 

 resembling in these respects the cuatro-ojo, or four-eye (Anableps dowii), of Central America. In 

 the South Atlantic drainage this species is replaced by the related F. nottii, which appears to be 

 identical in its habits. 



In its feeding habits this minnow, according to eight stomachs examined, appears to be omniv- 

 orous, taking appreciable quantities of vegetation but relying principally upon terrestrial insects 

 of comparatively large size, which probably are taken as they fall into the water. The stomachic 

 dilation is slight and the intestine approaches one-half the total length of the fish. 



The ovary of a minnow 70 millimeters long, taken June 30, 1925, contained 40 ripe eggs approxi- 

 mately 1.25 millimeters in diameter and an equal number of eggs only one-half as large, indicating 

 that spawning may take place two or more times during one season. Repeated spawning does not 

 appear to be unusual in this group of fishes. 



The 10 specimens at hand were collected at the following localities: Slough at Browning, 

 Hadley or Allen Lake, Pelucia Creek, a pond at Valley Hill railway station, and Big Sandy Creek. 



24. Fundulus kompi n. sp. 



The collection contains 31 specimens of Fundulus, ranging in length from 36 to 63 milli- 

 meters to 2H inches), which we are unable to identify with any known species, and therefore 

 we propose for them a new name and describe them as follows: 



