82 



FISH GALLERY. 



Order IV. PHYSOSTOM1. 



[Case 18.] Bony fishes with all the fin-rays articulated, only the first of the 

 dorsal and pectoral fins sometimes ossified ; ventral fins, if present, 

 abdominal, without spine. Air-bladder, if present, with a pneu- 

 matic duct (except in Scombresocidce) . 29 families : — 



1. Siluridae. 2. Characinida. 3. Cyprinidce. 4. Haplochitonidce . 

 5. Sternoptychida. 6. Scopelidce. 7. Stomiatidoe. 8. Salmonidoe. 

 9. Percopsida. 10. Galaxiidte. 11. Mormyridce. 12. Esocidae. 

 13. Umbridce. 14. Scombresocida. 15. Cyprinodontidce. 16. 

 Heteropygii. 17. Gonorhynchidce. 18. Hyodontidee. 19. Osteo- 

 glossidoe. 20. Clupeidee. 21. Chirocentridce. 22. Bathythrissidoe. 

 23. Alepocephalidae. 24. Notopteridce. 25. Halosauridce. 26. iVo- 

 tacanthidce. 27. Gymnotidce. 28. Symbranchida. 29. Murtenidce. 

 The Siluridce, or Cat-fishes (Cases ]8, 19), are a large family, 

 represented by numerous genera, which exhibit a great variety of 

 form and structure of the fins. The skin is naked or protected by 

 osseous scutes, but without scales ; barbels are generally present. 

 These fish inhabit the fresh waters of all the temperate and 

 tropical regions ; a few only enter the sea, but keep near the coast. 

 The European species (Silurus giants, fig. 68) is found in the 



FiR-. 68. 



Wels (Silurus giants) . 



waters east of the Ehine, and is, next to the Sturgeon, the largest 

 of European freshwater fishes, attaining to a w r eight of 300 or 

 400 lb. The " Bayad " (Bagrus bayad) is common in the Nile, 

 and grows to a length of over five feet; it is eaten. Arius, of 



