354 NOTE ON THE GENUS FELICHTHYS. 



lu 1862, Dr. vou Bleeker retaiued tlie name Pimelodus as the desig- 

 nation for the genus generally called J^lurichthys^ and would have re- 

 ferred Felichthys to it as a synonym. 



In 1882, Professor Swain (Proc. Acad. ^^at. Sc, Pbila., p. 281) pro- 

 posed to use Felichthys as tlie namo, for the genus called in 1840 by 

 Cuvier and Valenciennes Auchenipterus. 



In 1888 and later, Dr. and Mrs. Eigenmaun, in their excellent 

 memoirs on the South Americau Nematognaths,* accepted Swainsou's 

 name Felichthys for the genus first defined by Bleeker, in 18G2, under 

 the name Pseudauchenipterus and t^'pified by the tSihirus nodosus of 

 Bloch. 



The fault with all the authors cited is that they have neglected to 

 refer to the early portions of Swainson's work. If they had done so, 

 they would have perceived that Swainson's name should be restored to 

 the Silurus bagre, and, in that case, replace the generally accepted 

 name Ailunchthys or u'Eluriclithys. I presume there will be no difference 

 of opinion as to the propriety of this course, a!id indeed Dr. and Mrs. 

 Eigenmaun would doubtless be the first to recognize the status. It is, 

 therefore, desirable that the change should be made as speedily as pos- 

 sible. 



The synonymy of the genus may be summarized as follows: 



FELICHTHYS. 



Synonymy. 



Bnviceps Swaiuson, Nat. Hist. Fish., etc., v. 1, pp. 328, 343 (incl. Silurus bagre Bl.), 



1838. (Not Brevi'eps Merrem, 18:^0.) 

 Fdichthys fiwa\nsm\, Nat. Itist. Fish, etc., v. 2, p. 305, 18.39 (substitute for Breviceps, 



but with Silarux uodosiis Bl. added). 

 Ailurichthys Baird and Giranl, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc, Phila., V. 7, p. 26, 1854. 

 ^lurichthys Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc, Phila., 18(53, p. 172, 1863. (Adopted by Guu- 



ther, Steindachner, Cope, Jordan, Gilbert, Goode, Bean, et al.) 

 Pimelodus Bleeker, Atlas Ich. ludes Neerlaud, v. 2, p. 8, 1862. 



Four species of the genus arc known, viz : 



1. F. BXGJiE=Silurns hayrc 'Linn, 1766. 



2. F. MA.Rixus^S(7«f«s mar/HHS Mitchill, 1814. 



3. F. PANAMEXSis=.^/Hnc/(</(//« panamensis Gill, 1863. 



4. F. Tpi'SSiyixcVh^TXiS—Jiluriclithysinunimaculalufi Steind, 1876. 



SUMMAIiV. 



(1) The genus Breviceps was based solely on the Silurus ba(/re and upon the examina- 



tion of ail actual specimen whose dorsal and pectoral tins were illustrated. 



(2) The name Felichthys was formally " substituted for Breviceps, a name already 



used in Erpetology." 



(3) Inasmuch as Felichthys was rigorously substituted for Breviceps, the same species 



was necessarily the type of each. 



(4) The name Felichthys must take precedence of subsequently proposed names for 



the same ty|»e, e. g., 'Ailurichthys or Jilurichthys. 



*Proc. Cal. Acad. He (2), vol. 1, p. 152, 1888; Occ. Papers Cal. Acad. Sc, vol. 1, p. 

 285, 1890, 



