32 SILfRID^. 



snout. The maxillary barbels extend beyond the middle of the pec- 

 toral lin, those of the nostril to the end of the occipital process. The 

 band of vomerine teeth is interrupted in the middle. The distance 

 of the dorsal fin from the end of the snout is contained thrice and a 

 fifth in the total length (without caudal). The pectoral spine is 

 finely serrated along both edges, and as long as the head without 

 snout. Ventral fin reaching to the origin of the anal. A deep notch 

 between anal and caudal fins. Uniform brownish black. 



Ceylon. 

 a. Ten and a half inches long. Presented by Sir Emerson Tennent, 

 F.R.S. 



8. SILURUS. 



Silurus, sp., Artedi, Synon. p. 110. 



Silurus et Parasilurus, Bleek. Nederl. Tydschr. Dierk. 1863, p. 114. 



One very short dorsal fin, without pungent spine ; no adipose fin ; 

 the anal terminates close to the caudal, or is continuous with it. 

 Barbels four or six : one to each maxillary, and one or two to each 

 mandible. Palatine teeth none ; vomerine teeth in one or two trans- 

 verse bands. Nostrils remote from each other. Head and body 

 covered with soft skin. The eye is situated above the level of the 

 angle of the mouth. Neck not elevated ; the upper profile of the 

 head straight. The dorsal fin is anterior to the ventrals, which are 

 composed of more than eight rays. Caudal roimded. 



The species may be subdivided thus : — 



• Barbels six : Silurus, Blkr., p. 32. 

 •• Barbels four: Parasilurus, Blkr., p. 33. 

 The Siluri, as understood by us, inhabit fresh waters of the tem- 

 perate parts of the Palsearctic region, some of the species approaching 

 or entering the northern portion of the Indian continent. 



* Barbels six. 

 1. Silurus glanis. 



Der Wels (der Schaid). Mai (Sweden). 



r\dvLi, Aristot. ii. c. 13, 15 ; vi. c. 14 ; viii. c. 20, 30 ; ix. c. 37. 



SiXovpoy, jElian. xiv. e. 25; Athen. vii. 287. 



Glanis, Plin. ix. c. 43; Salv. f. 2106, 211; Aldrov. v. c. 5. p. 569; 



Jonston, iii. tit. 2. c. 4. tab. 27. fig. 8 ; Bellon. Ohs. i. p. 125. 

 Siliu-us, Plin. ix. c. 15, 16, 51 ; v. c. 9 ; Auson. 135 ; Rondel, ii. c. 10. 



p. 180; G('5M«-, pp. 867,872, 1047; Schmev.^.m-, Jonston, tah. 4.7. 



fig. 7; Willughhy, p. 128; Ray, p. 70; Artedi, Synon. p. 110, and 



Gewera, p. 82; Marsigli, Dan. iv. c. 4; Sihhald, Scot. III. p. 25; Klein, 



Pise. Miss. iv. p. 10. no. 1 ; Gronov. Zoopliyl. no. 323. tab. 6. tig. 1. 

 Silurus glanist, L. Syst. Nat. i. p. 501, and Faun. Suec. p. 121 ; Retz. 



Faun. p. 343; Bl. Fische Deutschl. i. p. 242. tab. 34; Bl. Schn. 



p. 379; Lacep. v. pp. 56, 59; Reisinger, Ichth. Hung. p. 28; Mei- 



+ Numerous works showing the occurrence of the Wels at certain localities 

 may be found quoted in the elaborate account of the ' Hist. Nat. Poiss." by Cu7. 

 & Val. 



