CLASS PISCES. 399 







Others again have the muzzle short and rounded, 

 and the dorsal short *. 



Finally, there are some in which the forehead forms 

 a gibbous projection in front of a mouth placed farther 

 back 2 . 



The third family of Malacopterygii Abdominales, 

 or that of 



SILUROIDES, 



Is distinguished from all the others of this order, by 

 having no true scales, but only a naked skin, or large 

 osseous plates. The intermaxillaries suspended under 

 the ethmoid, form the edge of the upper jaw, and the 

 rrmxillaries are reduced either to simple vestiges, or 

 are elongated into barbels. The intestinal canal is 

 ample, folded, and without cceca ; the bladder large, 

 and adhering to a peculiar osseous apparatus. The 

 dorsal and the pectorals have almost always a strong 

 articulated spine for the first ray, and there are often 

 three more behind an adipose, as in the salmones. 



Silurus, L. s 

 These fishes form a numerous genus, which is re- 



1 The Mormyr. de Salhcyhe, M. labiatus, Geoff, pi. vii. f. 1. 

 The M. de Belbeys, M. dor salts, Id. pi. viii. f. 1, which is the 

 Kaschoue, Sonn. pi. xxi. f. 3. 



2 The Morm. bane, or M. cyprindides, L., Geoff, pi. viii. f. 2. 

 N.B. There are in the Nile, and in the Senegal, many other species 



of mormyrus not yet published. 



3 Silurus and Giants are two ancient names, sometimes consi- 



