214 PISCES. 



These fishes abound in the rivers of hot climates. Seeds are found 

 in the stomach of various species. In the true Silurus, or the 



SiLURus, Lacep. 



There is only a small fin with very few rays on the fore-part of 

 the back, but the anal is very long, closely approaching that of the 

 tail. In Silurus, more especially so termed, or the 



Silurus, Arted. and Gronov. 



There is no evident spine in the small dorsal; the teeth in both 

 jaws are like those of a card, and behind the intermaxillary band of 

 the same, is another on the vomer. Such is the 



S. glanis, L. ; the Saluth of the Swiss; Wels or Scheid of the 

 Germans, Sec; Bl., 34. The largest fresh water fish found in 

 Europe, and the only one of this ^extensive genus that it pos- 

 sesses; it is smooth, black, greenish, spotted with black above, 

 with yellowish white beneath; head large, with six cirri; it 

 sometimes exceeds six feet in length, and weighs three hundred 

 pounds. It inhabits the rivers of Germany and Hungary, the 

 lake of Haarlem, Sec, and conceals itself in the mud to watch 

 for prey. The flesh, which is fat, is employed in some places 

 for the same purposes as lard.(l) The 



ScHiLBE, Cuv., 



Differs from these true Siluri in a vertically compressed body and 

 in a strong and dentated spine in the dorsal. The small, depressed 

 head, suddenly raised nape, and eyes placed very low, give these 

 fishes a singular appearance. 



The species hitherto known inhabit the Nile, where their 

 flesh is less disagreeable than that of the other Siluri, which 

 are found in the same stream. They have eight cirri. (2) 

 Certain American species with a round, blunt, small head, pro- 

 vided with cirri and almost imperceptible eyes, may constitute a 

 new subgenus.(3) The 



(1) Add, Sil. fossilis,Bl.,370, 2; — Sil. bimaculaius. Id., 364; — ^a//cgoo, Russel, 

 160; — Sil. attu, Schn., 75-., — the Sil. chinois, Lacep., V, ii, 1; — Sil. asotus, L., 

 Pall, Nov. Act. Petrop., I, xi, 2. 



N.B. Judging- from inspection of the dried specimen, the Ompok siluro'ide, 

 Lacep. V, i, 2, is a Silurus whose folded dorsal escaped the notice of the artist 

 who drew it. 



(2) Sil. Tmjsfus, Hasselq., Geoff., Poiss. d'Eg., pi. ii, f. 3 and 4; — Silurus auri- 

 /ws, Geoff., lb., f. land 2. 



(3) Sil. candira, Spix, X, 1; — Sil. cseciitiens. Id., lb., 2. 



