194 FISHES—SILURIDA. 
Soc., 486.—JORDAN (1876), Man. Vert., 301—JorDAN and CoPpRLAND (1876), Check 
List, 159. 
Pimelodus vulpeculus, GIRARD (1859), Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 160. 
Amiurus vulpeculus, GILL (1862), Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., 44. 
Amiurus mispilliensis, Cops (1870), Proc. Am. Philos. Soc., 486.—JORDAN and COPELAND 
(1876), Check List, 159. 
Description.—Body rather elongate ; head rather broad, the front moderately steep, the 
slope frum snout to dorsal being nearly an unbroken line; upper jaw longer than lower; 
anal fin with 21 or 22 rays, its base 44 in length of body; dorsal spine usually inserted 
rather nearer adipose fin than snout; head 4; depth 4 to 44 in length; color dark yel- 
lowish brown, varying to black, the belly white, with a tinge of yellow. Length 1 to 
2 feet. 
Habitat, Great Lake region to Maine and South Carolina, the commonest Cat-fish 
northward and east of the Alleghany Mountains. 
Diagnosis.—The common Bullhead may be known by the presence of 
21 or 22 anal rays, a projecting upper jaw, and a truncate or a very slightly 
emarginate caudal fin. 
Habits.—This is the commonest of the Cat-fishes in Lake Hrie and its 
tributaries, abounding in every brook and pond. In the Ohio River it 
is very much less common, its place being taken by the closely related 
melas and xanthocephalus. It does not reach a large size, but is a very fair 
food fish. 
Thoreau speaks of the Horned-pout as a dull and blundering fellow, 
like the Hel, vespertinal in its habits, and fond of the mud. It bites de- 
liberately, as if about its business. They are extremely tenacious of life, 
opening and shutting their mouths for half an hour after their heads 
have been cut off. A blood-thirsty and bullying race of rangers, inhab- 
iting the river bottoms, with ever a lance in rest, and ready to do battle 
with their nearest neighbor. I have observed them in summer, when 
every other one had a scar upon his back, where the skin was gone, the 
mark of some fierce encounter. Sometimes the fry, not an inch long, are 
seen darkening the shore with their myriads. 
The following vigorous description of the habits of Amiurus catus, and 
of its claims on the attention of the Fish Commission, is from the editor 
of the Milwaukee Sun. Although written as a burlesque, it givesa 
vivid and truthful idea of the “game” qualities of the Bull-head: 
_ It seems that the action of the Milwaukee common council in withdrawing the use of 
the water works from the fish commissioners will put a stop to the hatching of white 
fish. This is as it should be. Tho white fish is an aristocratic fish that will not bite a 
hook, and the propagation of this species of fish is wholly in the interest of wealthy 
owners of fishing tubs, who have nets. By strict attention to business they can catch 
all of the white fish out of the lake a little faster than the State machine can put them in. 
Poor people can not get a smell of white fish. The same may be said of brook trout. 
