1. CLARIAS. 13 



First Subfamily. 

 SILURID^ HOMALOPTER^E. 



The dorsal and anal fins are nearly equal in extent to the cor- 

 responding portions of the vertebral column. 



First Group. CLARIINA. 



The gill-membranes are not confluent with the skin of the isth- 

 mus, remaining separate to the chin. The dorsal is uniformly 

 composed of feeble rays, or its posterior portion is modified into 

 an adipose fin. 



Africa and East Indies'. 



1. CLARIAS*. 



Clarias, Gh-onov. Zoophyl. p. 100. 

 Macropteronotus, Lacep. v. p. 84. 



Adipose fin none ; dorsal long, extending from the neck to the 

 caudal ; anal long. Jaws with a band of villiform teeth ; a band of 

 villiform or granular teeth across the vomer ; cleft of the mouth 

 transverse, anterior, of moderate width ; barbels eight : one pair of 

 nasal, one of maxillary, and two pairs of mandibulary barbels. Eyes 

 small, with a free orbital margin. The upper and lateral parts of 

 the head are osseous, or covered with only a very thin skin. A den- 

 dritic, accessory branchial organ is. attached to the convex side of the 

 second and fourth branchial arches, and received in a cavity behind 

 the gill-cavity proper. Ventrals six-rayed ; only the pectoral has 

 a pungent spine. 



Africa and East Indies. 



* 1. Clarias hasselquistii, Cuv.SfVal. xv. p. 362. pi. 446 (not synon.). — Nile. — 

 Among the numerous examples from the Nile which I have examined, 

 I have not met with one which would agree with Valenciennes's de- 

 scription of his CI. hasselquistii: it is said to have very short barbels, 

 the nasal being only one-fourth, and those of the maxillary one-half of 

 the length of the head. The vomerine teeth are described as villiform, 

 forming a band " etroite, assez large et retrecie dans le milieu." The 

 figure represents this band with a ' ery prominent median posterior 

 process. 



2. dussumieri, Cuv. $ Vol. xv. p. 382. — Malabar. 



3. fuscus, Cuv. $■ Vol. xv. p. 383 (not synon.). — Sumatra. 



4. senegalensis, Cuv. § Val. xv. p. 376. — Senegal. 



5. loeviceps, Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. 8c. Philad. 1862, p. 139.— West 



Africa. — D. 86. A. 61. Head a sixth of total length, maxillary barbels 

 a third. 



