NOTE ON THE GENUS FELICHTHYS OF SWAINSON. 



BY 



Theodore Gill, M. D , Ph. D. 



The name FeUchthys of SwaiiLsou has been i^noreil by common cou- 

 sent until recently. It has been lately restricte<l by Dr. and Mrs. 

 Eigeumanu to the aucbenipterine genus called Pseudauchenipterus by 

 Bleeker. This is, however, inadmissible, and if it must be used at all 

 it is clearly to the one generally called ^J^lurickthysit must be referred. 



In 1838, Swainsou, in " The Natural History and Chissiticatioa of 

 Fishes," etc. (vol. 1, p. 31:3), proposed the genus Breviceps for the Silurus 

 hagre of Bloch and for that alone. " In this, " he claimed, " the caudal 

 fin is also lunate [as in Synodontis] ; but the points are not extended like 

 those of the tirst dorsal and pectoral rays, which reach to a very con- 

 siderable length ; the head is particularly short and obtuse, with the 

 eyes very remote; and there are only two pairs of cirri, one of which is 

 very short. The upper jaw is slightly longer than the under; it is very 

 large, and armed with numerous sharp teeth, very small, placed in two 

 broad rows in the upper jaw, and in one on the under ; finally, the 

 tongue is very large, thick, and rounded." 



This definition (except as to the dentition*) is essentially applicable 

 to the Silurus hagre although not truly diagnostic. 



In 1839, Swainson, in the second volume of the same work (vol. 2, p. 

 189), still used the name Breviceps for the same genus, but in the later 

 "general arrangement" (vol. 2, {). 305) there was substituted for Brev- 

 iceps, "a name already used in Erpetology," a new name, FeUchthys. 

 The genus was redefined as having the " head short, very obtuse, de- 

 pressed, anal fin lengthened; vent central; caudal forked," and two 

 species were referred to it, (I) ^'■F.Jilamentosiis,^ Bl. pi. 365," and (2) 

 "J^. 7iodosiis, Bl. 308, f. I." 



No attention was subsequently paid to the genus. The hybrid nature 

 of the name would be regarded by some as objectionable, and the per- 

 fect ignorance of the composer has caused many to ignore the man 

 completely. Perfectly as I agree with those who execrate tlie character 

 of his work, I mast, nevertheless, agree with those others who consider 

 that the work itself, having been duly published, must receive due at- 

 tention. 



*The anterior of the two rows is iuterinaxillary ; the posterior voiuero-palatiue. 

 iA FeUchthys fJamentosus in described as a new species in Appendix (p. 3U2). It is 

 F. marinus. 



Proceedings Xatioual Museum, VoL XIIL— ^J"o. 832. 



Proc. X. M. 80 23 353 



