-», Fauna : Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish 



which were the ancestors of the arriphibians anci reptiles, and 

 thus Hnks in the evolution ot Man. 



Of all the fresh-water fish which have been collected by 

 Dr. Biittikofer, Mr. F. J. Whicker, and others in the 

 Liberian rivers, about eio;ht or nine are thought to be peculiar 

 to the country. Of these four are Silurids (cat-fishes). These, 

 of course, are tresh-water fish with naked bodies and a number 

 of tentacles growing from the 

 lips. Some of the cat-fish ot 



Liberia- — those of the genus 



Clarias — grow to a considerable 



size, especially where they in- 

 habit isolated pools or meres. 



Some very large cat-fish are 



kept as fetish or totem objects 



by the natives of Boporo (or 



were before the former town 



was destroyed in civil wars), 



and it was reported both by 



Dr. Blyden and by Winwood 



Reade that dead slaves or 



313. ELECTRIC CAT-FISH 



criminals used to be thrown into 



the pools where the tame cat-fish lived in order that the fish 



might be nourished on human flesh. 



The natives eat the pappy soft flesh of the cat-fish of 

 whatever species, but prefer the electric cat-fish as an article of 

 diet,^ This is a small fish, seldom more than about twelve inches 

 long. It is known scientifically as Malopterurus electrkus^ and 

 is generally common throughout Tropical Africa, but especially 



^ Biittikofer asserts tliat this last {Malopterurus) is delicious. The present 

 writer cannot agree, as tlie flesh tastes too much like fish which has been kept 

 too long on ice, and has lost all firmness. 



825 



