CHUBBY STONE CAT. 801 
Diagnosis.—From the other Ohio Cat-fishes, this species may be known 
by the large, saw-like pectoral spine, and by the variegated coloration. 
Habits.—This pretty little fish abounds in most of the small streams 
of Ohio, especially southward. It is found under stones and logs. It 
is an attractive species for the aquarium. 
26. Norurvs sIALis Jordan. 
Chubby Stome Cat. 
Noturus sialis, JORDAN (1877), Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., x, 102; Man. Vert., 2d. Ed., 1878, 
337, 
-Description.—Body short and thick, compressed behind; head very large and broad, 
less depressed than in the others: spines stout and rather long, those of the pectoral 
fins straight, about half the length of the head, 24 in the distance to the dorsal fin; 
smooth externally, grooved within; dorsal higher than long, its insertion nearer anal fin 
than snout; adipose fin high aud continuous, not at all notched; barbels short, the 
lower darker; color nearly uniform yellowish brown, without dark bars or blotches; a 
conspicuous narrow black lateral streak and sometimes two dorsal streaks; head, 34 to 
4; depth 4 to 5; distance from snout to dorsal 22; width of head 3% Length, 3 or 4 
inches. 
Habitat, Mississippi Valley to Red River of the North. 
Diagnosis.—This species may be known by its chubby form, its plain, 
pale coloration, and by the absence of serrations on the pectoral spine. 
Habits—The habits of this species are similar to those of N. miurus. 
The two species reach about the same size; they are usually found 
together and are about equally abundant in Ohio. 
ORDER 8 TELEOCEPHALI THE TYPICAL 
FISHES. 
This order comprises the vast majority of recent fishes, and is characterized rather 
negatively as wanting the peculiarities of the other orders, than as having any positive 
traits of its own. In general, the maxillaries are normally developed, and distinct 
from the premaxillaries, not forming the base of a long barbel. The gills are of the 
ordinary pattern, and the gill openings are in front of the pectorals and not usually very 
narrow ; the opercle, subopercle, preopercle, and interopercle are all developed. This 
group includes the various soft-rayed fishes, with the ventrals abdominal, the scales 
generally cycloid and the air-bladder connected by a duct with the alimentary canal, 
the Malacopteri or Physostomi of authors, and the spinous rayed fishes, with the ventrals 
thoracic, the scales usually ctenoid and the air bladder without duct, the Acanthopteri 
or Physechystt of authors, as well as a large number ef forms variously intermediate or 
aberrant (telcos, perfect; kephale, head; the skull having all its parts developed), 
ol 
