282 TEXT-BOOK OF ZOOLOGY 



stocked with young carp. On the other hand, it is a welcome guest in 

 waters inhabited only by inferior fish, the poor flesh of which it converts 

 into its own valuable meat. 



The Sheat-fish (Silurns ylanis). 

 (Length up to 13 feet.) 



Its dark-coloured, elongated, scaleless body and the long barbels 

 characterize this fish as a denizen of the muddy bottom (see tench and 

 carp) ; while its size, strength, rapidity, as well as the wide mouth, with 

 its powerful equipment of teeth, give evidence of its rapacious habit (see 

 pike). The great sensitiveness of the barbels compensates for the feeble 

 sight, the eyes being extremely small. While lying motionless at the 

 bottom, the barbels are moved about like writhing worms. May they 

 not serve the purposes of bait for attracting the prey? The flesh of this 

 fish is not highly esteemed. It does not occur in Britain. 



The Salmon (Salmo solar}. 

 (Length up to 5 feet.) 



The salmon is an inhabitant of the coasts of the North Atlantic. 

 Like the pike (which see), it is carnivorous in its habits. The salmon, 

 however, chases its prey in open water, instead of stalking it at the 

 bottom like the pike. Hence also its body is of bluish-grey colour on 

 the back, while the sides and belly are silvery white (compare with 



Lr 



'B 



SALMON. (About one-fifteenth natural size.) 

 Br., Pectoral fin ; B., ventral fin ; A., anal fin ; S., caudal fin ; R., dorsal fin ; F., adipose fin. 



herring). Behind the dorsal fin there is an additional small rayless fin 

 (adipose fin). The young are mostly ornamented with black dots and 

 dark transverse bands (compare with perch and pike). The eggs require 

 for their development clear, cool, running water, which is, moreover. 



