VERTEBRATA : PISCES OK FISHES. 



SUB-SECTION XL 



THE ORDER OF MALACOPTERI OR SOFT-FINKED FISHES. 



THE Fishes of this order have the fins, in nearly all 

 cases, supported by soft or jointed rays. 



FIG. 312. 



FIG. 343. 



Silurus, Siturus glanis. 



The Siluridse better known as Cat-fish and Horned 

 Pouts have the skin naked, that is without scales ; in 



some species, however, the skin is 

 covered with bony plates. And in 

 most cases the head is depressed, 

 and has several fleshy filaments as 

 appendages. In a majority of eases 



Horned Pout, Pimelodus atra- tllGJ SO far fail to COllfonn to th 6 



order of Malacopteri, that they 

 have the first ray of the dorsal and of the pectorals com- 



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