71 



SILIJRIJS. 



TnK body depressed and rouuded on its anterior part, compressed 

 behind; mouth wide, with several long barbs; gill membrane with 

 rays not less than four; no scales on the head or body. A single 

 narrow dorsal fin; the first ray of the pectoral armed with a strong 

 spine; caudal fin separate. Abdominal fishes. 



SHEATFISH. 



Sl.Y SILUKUS. 



Mndclci harlaf,!, JoNSTON; Table 28, f. 7. 



" " WiLLOuGUBY; p. 128, plate H. 5. 



Silaras glanis, LiNN.^ius. CuviER. Block ; pi. 34. 



" " Yarrell; Br. Fishes, vol. i, p. 461. 



The Wels, Dr. Gunthek; Fisherman's ]\Iagazine, 



No. 8, p. 365. 



TuftiiE appears little reason to doubt that the Silurus of 

 Pliny, (13. 9, c. 15.) and consequently the Glanis of Aristotle, 

 is the same with the Silurus glanis of Linnaeus; but it is still 

 uncertain whether it has ever been found in the British Islands. 

 From the enormous size it sometimes attains it could not have 

 remained with us without having been discovered, and therefore 

 if found at all, it could only have been as a wanderer from 

 the Continent of Europe, in the larger rivers of which it is 

 known, although not in abundance, for it is said to be not 

 exceedingly prolific. In the Danube, and the larger rivers of 

 the north of Europe, it is well known; but it is more rare in 

 Sweden, although it is met with even in Norway. According 

 to Nilsson, in these northern countries it never reaches the 

 same size as in Germany. Pliny says it is a fish of the Nile, 

 and also of a lake out of which the Nile flows: a remarkable 



