82 



FISH GALLERY. 



Order IV. PHYSOSTOMl. 



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 Scombresocidcs) , 29 families : — 



1. SiiuridcB. 2. Characinidce. 3. Cyprinidae. 4. Haplochitonidee. 

 5. Sternopty chides. 6. Scopelidce. 7. Stomiatidae. 8. Salmonidce. 

 9. Percopsidae. 10. Galaxiidce. 11. Mormyridce. 12. Esocidcs, 

 13. Umbridce. 14. Scombresocidce. 15. Cyprinodontidcs. 16. 

 Heterupygii. 17. GonorhynchidcB. 18. Hyodontid(E. 19. Osteo- 

 (jlossidoi. 20. Clupeid(B. 21. Chirocentridce. 22. Bathythrissidce. 

 23. Alepocephalidcs. 24. Notopteridce. 25. Hahsauridcs. 26. iVw- 

 tacanthidce. 27. Gymnotidae. 28. Symbranchidcje. 29. Muroinidos. 



The Siluridae, or Cat-fishes (Cases 18, 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 glanis, fig. 68) is found in the 



Fio-. 68. 



Wels (Silurus glanis). 



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

 of European freshwater fishes, attaining to a weight of 300 or 

 4001b. The "Bayad'' [Bagrus bayad) is common in the Nile, 

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



