175 



PIMELODUS. 

 The next series of interesting fishes to he noticed 

 we shall place provisionally in Pimelodus. In that 

 genus, as characterised by Valenciennes, none of 

 them could rank, being all provided with teeth in 

 one form or another ; but in the uncertainty of their 

 true structure and position, it would be equally un- 

 certain whether they should range with Arius or 

 Bagrus. They all possess a gTeater development of 

 the second dorsal fin than we have yet seen, and 

 most of them are somewhat strongly armed ante- 

 rior to the first dorsal fin. The characters adopted 

 by Agassiz will take them all in. 



" Pimelodus, Lacep., Cuv.^ Agas. — Dentes velutini, per fas- 

 ciam in ossibus inter-maxillaribus et in mandibula dis- 

 positi. Membrana branchiostega radius 5 — 10. Os 

 magnum. Cirrhi sex. Caput nudum aut scuto majori 

 minorive obductum. Corpus nudum. Pinnso dorsales 

 duae, posterior adiposa. Radius primus pinnarum pec- 

 toralium et pinnae dorsalis validus serratusque." 



Of the first fish, which we shall place here, we 

 possess only an imperfect drawing, from the caudal 

 fin of the only specimen obtained being mutilated ; 

 but from the general form and the distribution of 

 the teeth, as indicated by our notes, it would range 

 in Bagrus of Valenciennes. It may presently stand 

 as 



Pimelodus (Bagrus) maculatus. — Warrau, 

 Mohocco ; L. Geral, Jandia. SchomS. Drawings^ 

 No. 43. — " This fish is found ia most of tlie 



