88 FISH GALLERY. 



of food. It is the largest freshwater Teleostean known, exceeding 

 a length f 15 feet, and a weight of -400 lb. 



.itt^'lllS 



Arapaima of the River Amazon. 



[Case 21.] The Clupeidce, or Herrings (Case 21), are probably unsurpassed 

 by any other family in the number of individuals, although others 

 comprise a much greater variety of species. The Herrings are 

 principally coast-fishes; none belong to the deep-sea fauna; 

 scarcely any have pelagic habits, but many enter or live in fresh 

 waters communicating with the sea. They are spread over all the 

 temperate and tropical seas. The genus of Herrings proper 

 (Chtpea) includes more than sixty species, of which several are 

 extremely common on our coasts, viz. the Herring (Clvpea harengus) 

 of immense commercial value, the Sprat (C. sprattus), the Shad 

 (C.alosa and C.finta), and the Pilchard or Sardine (C.pilchardus). 

 The " Mossbanker " (C. menhaden) is common on the Atlantic 

 coasts of the United States. The economic value of this fish is 

 surpassed in America only by that of the Gadoids, and derived 

 chiefly from its use as bait for other fishes, and from the oil 

 extracted from it. Albula and Elops reach a size of three feet, but 

 are not esteemed as food. The largest species of the whole family 

 is the Gigantic Herring (Megalops thrissoides) [a specimen of 

 which is exhibited on the top of the case], from the Tropical 

 Atlantic, exceeding a length of five feet, and excellent eating. 



TCase 22.1 ^ e ^hirocentridce and Xotopteridoe (Case 22) are small families, 

 inhabiting, the former the Indian Ocean, the latter fresh waters of 

 the East Indies and West Africa. 



The Gymnotida (Case 22) are eel-like freshwater fishes from 

 Tropical America, of which the best known is the Electric Eel 

 [Gymnotus electricus, fig. 76) ; it is the most powerful of electric 

 fishes, growing to a length of six feet, and extremely abundant in 

 certain localities of Brazil and the Guianas. The electric organ 



