Catesby, Mark. Vol.II, Tab. 23, The Cat Fish

Mark Catesby The Cat Fish, Vol. II, Tab. 23 Etching with hand color 14" x 19" sheet From Volume II, Part 7 of Catesby's Natural History of Carolina, Florida & the Bahama Islands London: 1736 - 1771 Currently known as the white catfish, Ameiurus catus*, Catesby described this subject as follows: BAGRE Secunde Specii Marggr. Affinis. The Cat Fish. Some of these fish are two Foot in Length. They are without Scales, of a dusky black on the Back, and of a pale Flesh Colour on the Belly. It had six Fins, one under each Gill, one on the Fore-part of the Back of a Conick form, between which and the Tail a smaller one; one under the Abdomen, and another between it and the Tail: The Tail small and forked, which with the Fins are of a dusky red Colour; the Eyes small, of a deep yellow or Gold Colour: From under each Eye shoots forth a very long fleshy Barb; before the Eyes grow likewise two more very small, and to the under Lip hang several more. Its Head is very large and rounding, with a ve