400 ORDER MALACOPTERYGII ABDOMINALES. 



cognized by its nudity, by the mouth cleft at the end of 

 the muzzle, and, in the greater number of subgenera, 

 by the strong spine which forms the first ray of the 

 pectoral. This is so articulated on the bone of the 

 shoulder, that the fish can at will approximate it to 

 the body, or fix it perpendicularly in an immoveable 

 position. It then constitutes a dangerous weapon, 

 and in many countries its wounds are considered 

 venomous, doubtless because tetanus, or locked jaw, 

 is apt to supervene on their infliction. 



The head of the siluri, moreover, is depressed, the 

 intermaxillaries suspended beneath the ethmoid, and 

 not protractile ; the maxillaries very small, but almost 

 always continued each into a fleshy barbel, which is 

 joined by other barbels, attached to the lower jaw, 

 or even to the nostrils. The operculum of their 

 branchiae is deficient in that piece which we have 

 named suboperculum. The natatory bladder is strong, 

 and heart-shaped, adhering by its two superior lobes to 

 a peculiar osseous apparatus, which is attached to the 

 first vertebra. The stomach is a fleshy cul-de-sac, 

 the intestine long, ample, and without cceca '. These 

 fishes abound in the rivers of warm climates. Grains 



dered as synonyms, sometimes taken for different species, and given 

 to fishes of the Nile, the Danube, the Orontes, and some rivers 

 of Asia- Minor. There is no doubt that they do not belong to this 

 genus. 



1 Hasselquist attributes cceca to the Schilbe, but I have assured 

 myself of the contrary. 



