FISHES. 119 



on both coasts of Central America, and soutliwai-d. Two species, the gaff-topsail cat 

 {^htrichthys marinus) and the sea-cat {Oaleichthys felis), abound everywhere on 

 the South Atlantic and Gulf coast of tiie United States, although singularly enough 

 neither of these, nor any other species, has been found on the coast of Cuba. The 

 character of the coral shores of that island is probably unfavorable to them, and the 

 channels which surround Cuba are perhaps too deep for them to cross. 



In many — perhaps most — of the species of this group the eggs, which are 

 larger than peas, are taken into the mouth of the male, and are there cared for until 

 hatched. 



The BagariinsB comprise about twenty species of fresh-water Siluroids, mostly of 

 small size, inhabiting the streams of the East Indies and southern Asia. These have 

 the head naked above, and the nostrils close together, with a barbel between them. 

 Some of them, living in swift waters, have on the breast a sucking disc, formed of longi- 

 tudinal plaits of skin, being thus enabled to resist the force of the streams. 



The Doradinse are characterized by the restriction of the gill openings to the sides 

 by the adhesion of the gill membranes to the isthmus; the nostrils are well se^jarated, 

 and the general arrangement of the fins is not unlike that found in the Ariinse. The 

 mouth is generally small, the sharp snout projecting beyond it, and in many species 

 the lateral line is armed posteriorly with spinous shields. About sixty species are 

 known, nearly all of them inhabiting the fi-esh waters of tropical South America east 

 of the Andes, where they form a prominent feature of the fish fauna. A single genus, 

 Synodontis^ with numerous species, inhabits the streams of Africa. 



Concerning the species of Doras, Dr. Gilnther remarks : " These fishes have excited 

 attention by their habit of traveling during the dry season from a piece of water 

 about to dry up in quest of a pond of greater capacity. These journeys are occasion- 

 ally of such a length that the fish spends whole nights on the way, and the bands of 

 scaly travelers are sometimes so large that the Indians who happen to meet them fill 

 many baskets of the prey thus placed in their hands. The Indians supposed that the 

 fish carry a supply of water with them, but they have no special organs, and can only 

 do so by closing the gill openings, or by retaining a little water between the plates of 

 their bodies, as Hancock supposes. The same naturalist adds that they make regular 

 nests, in which they cover up their eggs with care, and defend them, male and female 

 uniting in this parental duty until the eggs are hatched. The nest is constructed at 

 the begining of the rainy season, of leaves, and is sometimes placed in a hole scooped 

 out of the beach." 



The Rhinoglaninaa comi^rise two or three species of very small cat-fishes, less than 

 three inches in length, from the Nile and the Ganges. 



The Malapterurinas, distinguished by the absence of the dorsal fin, comprise three 

 species, which reach a considerable size, and are found in the i-ivers of northern 

 Africa. One of them, the electric cat-fish of the Nile, Malaptentnis electricus, has 

 excited much interest among anatomists. Its electric organ, according to Di\ 

 Gtinther, "extends over the whole body, but is thickest on the abdomen; it lies 

 between two aponeurotic membranes below the skin, and consists of rhomboidal cells, 

 which contain a rather firm gelatinous substance." 



The shock from this animal is said by Adanson to resemble that from a Leiden 

 jar. It is communicated through an iron I'od as well as by direct contact. This is 

 true also of the shock of the electric rays. One of the typical specimens of JSfarcine 

 umbrosa, an electric ray, was stabbed, when alive, with a pocket knife by a fisherman 



