MALACOPTERYGII ABDOMINALES. 219 



Others have a radiated dorsal and a second one that is adipose. (1) 



Plotosus, Lacep. 



A second radiated dorsal, which, as well as the anal, is very long, 

 both of them uniting at the caudal to form a point as in the Eelj 

 lips fleshy and pendent; the mouth armed in front with conical 

 teeth, behind which are globular ones, those of the upper jaw be- 

 longing to the vomer; the body and head enveloped by a thick naked 

 skin; nine or ten rays in the branchise. The species known are from 

 the East Indies. They have eight cirri, and behind the anus, and 

 the fleshy and conical tubercle common to all the Siluri, is another 

 appendage which is fleshy and ramified, whose functions must be 

 very singular. 



Some of them have large and dentated dorsal and pectoral 

 spines.(2) 



In others they are almost hidden under the skin. (3) 



Callichthys, Lin. — Cataphractus, Lacep.(4) 



Sides of the body almost entirely mailed in four ranges of scaly 

 plates, and a compartment of these plates on the head; but the end 

 of the snout is naked, as well as the inferior surface of the body; a 

 single ray in the anterior edge of the second dorsal; the pectoral 

 spine strong, but the dorsal feeble or short. The mouth is but 

 slightly cleft, and the teeth are almost insensible; four cirri; eyes 

 small and on the sides of the head. These fishes can crawl about 

 out of water for some time like the Eel. 



The pectoral spine of some is simply rough;(5) in others it is 

 dentated as in most of the Siluri. (6) The 



Malapterurus, Lacep. 



Is distinguished from Silurus, properly so called, by the absence 

 of the radiated fin on the back, there being nothing but a small adi- 

 pose one on the tail, and by the total deficiency of a spine in the 

 pectorals, whose rays are entirely soft. The head as well as the 



(1) The Hale [Heterohranchus bidorsalis), Geoff., Eg., Poiss. du Nil., pi. xvi, 

 f. 2. 



(2) Platystacus anguillaris, Bl., 373, 1 ; lienard, I, fol. 3, f. 19. 



(3) Plotosus csesius, Buchan., XV, 44. 



(4) Callichthys, L., first editions. NI$. Block, in his genus Cataphuactcs, 

 includes Doras and Calliclithys. 



(5) Silurus callichffiy.i, Bl., 377, 1. 



(6) A new species. 



