76 SHEATFISH. 



I learn from M. Agassiz. In Central Europe it is found in 

 the lakes of Neuchatel, Bienne, and Morat only: in no other 

 lakes or rivers connected with the Rhine does it occur. It 

 inhabits the rivers flowing into the Baltic and Black Sea." — 

 ("Natural History of Ireland," vol. iv.) 



The ancients appear to have paid much attention to the 

 habits of this fish, which they called Glanis or Lagnis. 

 Aristotle says that the female altogether neglects the care of 

 her spawn and the young, but that the male watches over 

 and protects them; and that in about forty or fifty days they 

 are able to shift for themselves. He adds, that this fish is 

 stupified with loud thunder, and that as food the female is 

 better than the male; both are to be rejected when the female 

 is large with spawn. 



Whether this fish was ever in remote times an inhabitant of 

 English rivers may also be regarded as uncertain: but Mr. 

 Higgins informs me that he found undoubted relics of the 

 pectoral defence bone of this fish, in a bed of clay, under 

 a layer of peat, at Leasowe, in Cheshire, while engaged in 

 searching for fossil remains. I find also, in an extract from 

 Lloyd's "Scandinavian Adventures," that through the indefati- 

 gable exertions of Mr. George Berncy, of Morton, in Norfolk, 

 "the Silurus was last year (1853) introduced into England, 

 and consequently is now included in our fauna;" but how far 

 this attempt has been successful does not appear. To assist 

 future observers the likeness of this fish is copied from Bloch, 

 and our description chiefly from Willoughby, with additions 

 from Olaus Wormius and Nilsson, the former of whom has 

 represented its character as being slow in its actions, sly and 

 all-devouring; and it is said that it has even been known to 

 swallow a child of the age of seven or eight years. 



It has been known to attain the length of ten or eleven 

 feet, and is recorded to have weighed one hundred and fifty- 

 six pounds, and, according to Bloch, it has even reached the 

 enormous weight of seven hundred and fifty pounds, after the 

 entrails had been removed; but it is said by Nilsson to be 

 rarely longer (in Sweden) than four feet, with a weight of 

 fifty pounds. The head is flattened and wide, the body 

 rounded on the fore part, compressed towards the tail; belly 

 tumid, and capable of great distension; the mouth wide; gape 



