116 



LOWER VERTEBRATES. 



ei?ht barbels. Nearly all the sixty or seventy known species inhabit the streams of 

 the East Indies, and of neighboring parts of Asia. Two of them, belonging to the 

 t\-pical genus Porciis {Bagrm), are found in the Nile, and reach a length of five or 

 six feet. 



The Ictalurinae are the cat-fishes of North America. They are the only members 

 of the order which inhabit the fresh waters of our continent, and with the exception 



he.lt-fi-li (below); Lotn loin, burbot (above). 



of one or two Asiatic species of AmiKnui they are strictly confined to that region. 

 One species is known from Mexico, and another from Central America, while two or 

 three extend tlieir range northward into the Britisli possessions. With these excep- 

 tions the entire sub-family is confined to that ]iart of the United States which lies 

 east of the Rocky Mountains, and within this region there is scarcely a permanent 

 stream or pond which has not one or more species of cat-fish. ' bull-head ' or ' liorned- 

 pout.' 



The North Ami-rican cat-fishes agi-ee in havins the skin everywhere entirely naked 



