﻿140 GANGETIC FISHES. Ol'def V. 



general barbed on the edge, so as to occasion very painful 

 punctures, that every enemy probably attacks with great cau- 

 tion, and that few even ever make the attempt, except such 

 as, from an enormous difference in strength, art, or organiza- 

 tion, are little exposed to danger. Man, therefore, is almost 

 the only enemy which most species of these fishes have to 

 dread. 



I. Genus. — Platystacus. 



Fishes of the fifth order, with a very slimy skin, destitute of 

 scales, but provided with numerous soft projections ; with a 

 mouth surrounded by tendrils ; with one short back fin placed 

 before the middle ; with the tail much shorter than the trunk, 

 and not compressed; and with prickles in the pectoral and 

 dorsal fins. 



The genus Platystacus constituted by Bloch consisted of two 

 species, but has not been adopted by La Cepede. One species 

 he has united with the Silunis, while the remaining species, 

 which he could not unite with that genus, he calls Plotosiis, As 

 I think that the species which he has placed in the genus Silurus 

 not only differs very much in appearance from those placed in 

 the last mentioned genus, I shall retain Bloch's name, Platysta- 

 cus, and apply it to the Silurus verrucosus of La Cepede, {Hist, 

 des Poissons, Tome V. p. 56,) or the Platystacus verrucosus of 

 Bloch, (Ichtk. Tome XL p. 61, PI. LXXIIl. fig. 3,) and to the 

 species which I am now about to describe. This genus has 

 much of the manners of the Coffus tiranoscopus, and other lurk- 

 ing fishes. 



1st Species Platystacus chaca. Plate XXVIII. Fig. 43. 



A platystacus with the fin of the tail extending much farther 

 on the upper than on the under edge of the tail. 



