ICHTHYOLOGY. 



705 



i*- der of urine, and is the passage through which they 

 escape. The species is ovoviviparous. 



-" ' GENUS CLX. FUNDULCS. 



Body and tail nearly cylindrical ; jaws with teeth ; 

 no beard ; one dorsal fin. 



There are two species in this genus ; the first of these 

 i i the cobiti* lieterociila of Linnsus, whose trivial name 

 is now changed by La Cepede into F. mud-Jitli! It 

 wa observed in Carolina by Dr Garden, and was there 

 named mud-fish. The other species inhabits Japan, 

 and was first described by Houttuyn in Act. Haarl. xx. 

 2. p. 337. n. 26. In the former species there are six 

 nyt in each of the ventral fins ; in the latter, eight 



GENUS CLXI. COLUBKINA. 



Head lengthened ; above covered with scales, like 

 those of a serpent ; no dorsal fin. 



This genus has been constructed for the reception of 

 a species whose existence rests on the authority of a 

 Chinese drawing in the Dutch collection. La Cepede 

 hat termed it C. Chinensis. 



GENUS CLXII. AMIA. 



Head covered with plates, divided by sutures ; teeth 

 in the jaws and palate ; beard on the upper jaw. 



The A. calva, the only known species, is a native of 

 Carolina. It is a fresh water fish, and was originally 

 dMcribed by Linnzeus from specimens sent him by Dr 

 Garden. It does not appear to hare fallen under the 

 '' n of any other ichthyologist. 



GENUS CLXIII. BUTYRINUS. 



Head without scale*, and one fourth of the whole 

 Hgth of the annual ; one dorsal fin. 



The B. bananas is the only species, of which little 

 satisfactory has been ascertained. It is described by 

 La Cepede from the MS. of Commenon. The tail is 

 forked ; on each side of the back there are four longi- 

 tudinal waved lines, and the lateral line is nearly 

 straight. 



GENUS CLXIV. TSUPTERONOTUS. 



Three dorsal fins, and one anal fin. 



The hautin of Hondelelius ; the T. hautin of La Ce- 

 pede is the only known species. It is the only fish of 

 this order which possesses three dorsal fins ; and, what 

 is more extraordinary, when the number of the dorsal 

 fins is considered, it has only one anal fin. 



GENUS CLX V. OMPOK. 

 Jaws with a beard and teeth ; no dorsal fin ; anal fin 



i only known species of this genus is the O. siln- 

 roides. A specimen of this fish was found in the 

 Dutch collection, having the provincial name Ompok 

 attached to it. 



GENrsCLXVI. SILL-RUS. 



Head large, depressed; mouth terminal, bearded; 

 one snort dorsal fin. 



This j<pm, formerly very extensive, contains at pre- 

 sent only eleven species. They are distributed into 

 two sections, from the form of the tail. The S. glanit, 

 or common srlure, is one of the largest of the inhabi- 

 tants of the fresh waters. It grows sometimes to the 

 length of 15 feet, and to the weight of 300 pounds. 

 1 lie head is depressed ; the snout rounded in front ; 

 the lower jaw is longest. There are two filaments on 

 the upper jaw, and four on the under. The general 

 colour is green mixed with black. The ryes are re- 

 markably small. It inhabits the larger rivers of Europe, 

 Alia, and Africa, and is seldom found in the open sea. 



VOL JI. PART II. 



Its motions are all slow. It lurks under some root with Classic- 

 its body sunk in part in the mud ; and, by moving the tion ol 

 filaments of its beard, it entices the small fishes to ap- ^ 

 proach, when it seizes them. The flesh is white, fat, 

 and pleasant to the taste, but very difficult to digest. 

 The air-bag furnishes isinglass, which is considered ex- 

 cellent. The skin dried and rubbed with oil, is some- 

 times used as a substitute for glass. This species might 

 be translated with ease into this country ; and there ap- 

 pears to be several favourable situations for its growth. 

 The S.fossilis, which is a native of the East Indies, is 

 sometimes dug out of the mud like the Misgurnu?. 

 which it appears to resemble in habit 



GENUS C'LXVII. MACROPTEHONOTCS. 



Dorsal fin very long. 



The species of this genus, four in number, were se- 

 parated by La Cepede from the Siluri, from which they 

 differ in the greater length of the dorsal fin. If such 

 a character be admitted as sufficient to constitute a ge- 

 nus, we fear that the science of ichthyology will speedily 

 revert to that state of confusion and uncertainty which 

 prevailed in the days of Aristotle and Pliny. The first 

 species is the Silurus anguiltaris of Linnaeus, which La 

 Cepede now names M. charmuth. Geofroy, according 

 to La Cepetle, has discovered a cavity connected with 

 the gills, which the animal has the power of closing-. 

 In this cavity^ there is a flat cartilaginous substance, di- 

 vided into many branches, having the surface covered 

 with numerous ramifications of blood-vessels. This 

 organ he considers as a supplementary gill, and is dis- 

 posed to believe that the circulating system is perform- 

 ed by means of three separate ventricles. But from 

 the details which we have seen, it is impossible to form 

 any distinct conception of such an arrangement. Tim 

 species is common in the Nile. The M. batrachus is a 

 native of Asia and Africa. The skin is so transparent 

 on the sides, that the divisions of the muscles can be 

 perceived like so many transverse lines. The remain- 

 ing species of the genus, viz. M. fuscus and hexacicin- 

 nus are described on the authority of Chinese drawings 

 in the Library of the Museum at Paris. 



GENUS CLXVIII. MALAPTERVRUS. 



Dorsal fin adipose, and placed near the tail ; fur- 

 nished with electrical organs. 



The Siluruselectricus of Linnaeus is the only known 

 species of the genus. It has been long known as pos- 

 sessing those benumbing qualities which are so re. 

 markable in the Torpedo. It is found in many of the 

 African rivers. See the article ELECTRICITY. 



GENUS CLXIX. PIMELODES. 



Two dorsal fins ; the second adipose. 



This genus contains twenty-four species, formerly / 



included in the genus Silurus. They are divided into 

 two sections from the form of the tail. The P. bagre 

 is a native of the great rivers on the American conti- 

 nent. There are four filaments in the beard, two ori- 

 fices to each of the nostrils, and a lengthened cavity on 

 the head. The flesh is held in little estimation. The 

 P. ascita exhibits one of the most remarkable examples 

 of reproduction in the whole system. The eggs, while 

 still in the uterus, gradually increase in size, and dis- , 

 tend the skin of the belly until it burst longitudinally. 

 To this slit, the farthest advanced egg approaches, and 

 its integuments give way, opposite to the head of the 

 animal. The embryo is left, resting on the yolk, and 

 attached to it by a cord of vessels. When all the yolk 

 is absorbed, the remains of the egg pass through the 

 slit, and the animal, separated from its mother, begins 

 4 u 



