SALMO.] PISCES (OSSEI) MALACOPT. 421 



(2.) SILURUS, Arted. 



(19.) S. Glanis, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 501. Bloch, Ichth, 

 pi. 34. Cuv. Reg. An. torn. u. p. 291. Sly Silurus, Yarr. Brit, 

 Fish. vol. i. p. 403. 



This species, or at least a fish bearing the same name, is included by 

 Sibbald in his list of Scottish fishes*, but it is not said on what authority. 

 Possibly some other species (perhaps the Burbot) may be intended. At 

 any rate it is not likely that it should exist in that country at the present 

 day, as from its great size, it would in that case hardly have been for so 

 long a time overlooked by our naturalists. It is the largest fresh-water 

 fish found in Europe, attaining the weight of from one to two hundred 

 pounds and upwards. It is met with in the rivers of Germany, Hungary, 

 and other parts of the Continent. 



GEN. 40. SALMO, Cuv. 



103. S. Salar, Linn. (Common Salmon.) Posterior 

 margin of the gill-cover forming a semicircle: vomerine 

 teeth confined to the anterior extremity : caudal forked : 

 ventrals dusky on their inner surface. 



S. Salar, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 509. Block, Ichth. pis. 20, 

 & 98. Turt. Brit. Faun. p. 103. Flem. Brit. An. p. 179. Jard. 

 in Edinb. New Phil. Journ. vol. xvm. p. 46. Salrao, Will. Hist. 

 Pise. p. 189. tab. N. 2. f. 1. Salmon, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. in. 



L284. pi. 58. no. 143. Id. (Edit. 1812.) vol. in. p. 382. pi. 69, 

 Saumon, Cuv. Reg. An. torn. u. p. 302. 



LENGTH. From two to three feet, sometimes three feet and a half. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Oval; moderately elongated ; with the head and 

 hack in nearly the same line : greatest depth a little before the dorsal, 

 contained about five times and a half in the entire length, increasing, 

 however, with age: thickness half the depth: head small, about one- 

 sixth of the entire length : snout rather sharp : jaws, in young fish, 

 nearly equal; but in old males, the lower one longest, and curving 

 upwards in a hook : a row of sharp teeth along both sides of each jaw, 

 as well as on the palatines ; but those on the vomer confined to its ante- 

 rior extremity, and in some specimens rather obsolete; two rows of teeth 

 on the tongue : eyes directly above the posterior extremity of the maxil- 

 lary, and nearer the end of the snout than the furthest point of the gill- 

 cover by one-third: gill-cover with the posterior margin more curved 

 than in the next species, and forming a semicircle ; opercle oblong, the 

 basal margin slightly ascending posteriorly ; subopercle about one-third 

 the size of the opercle ; a line drawn from the extremity of the upper jaw 

 to the furthest point of the gill-cover passes through the eyes: lateral 

 line perfectly straight, dividing the body into two nearly equal parts: 

 scales small : dorsal occupying a middle position between the end of the 

 snout and the end of the fleshy part of the tail ; rather longer than high, 

 its greatest elevation not equalling half the depth of the body ; first ray 

 very short ; fourth longest ; first two rays simple, the rest branched ; last 

 two from one root : adipose small ; much nearer the caudal than the anal : 



* Scot. Illust. part ii. vol. u. p. 25. 



