THE SILURUS GLANIS. 171 



range within the last century ; it is now of not un- 

 common occurrence in the Lake of Constance, into 

 which it was accidentally introduced by inundations ; 

 and several instances are known of its capture in 

 Holland, although it is evidently not indigenous to 

 that country. 



THE SILURUS GLANIS OR WELS. 



The wels in general appearance has some simi- 

 larity to the burbot ; the head is large, broad, and 

 depressed, as long as the trunk, which ordinarily is 

 subcylindrical, but appears also very broad when the 

 fish has filled its capacious stomach, or when the 

 female is full of roe; the tail is compressed, and 

 longer than the head and trunk together. The entire 

 fish is destitute of scales, and covered with a smooth 

 slippery skin like the eel. The snout is truncated, 

 the mouth not cleft far backwards, but broad, with 

 the lower jaw longest and very extensible. There are 

 six barbels round the mouth, two of which, situated 



