ESOCIDiE OR PIKES. 305 



of Athenseus ; it is certainly poor, dry food, and seldom 

 eaten from choice. Galen recommends it to patients 

 sufifering from renal affections. When first caught, this 

 species, exhaling, as it does, a strong, peculiar, and dis- 

 agreeable smell, is as unsatisfactory to the nose as either 

 to eye or palate. The usual size is not above two feet, 

 but Sir W. Hamilton mentions one taken at Naples 

 which weighed fifteen pounds : specimens are sometimes 

 seen in our own markets, but are seldom asked for. 



SiLXJEUS Glanis. 



Never was there a less ' callida junctura' of fish-names 

 than in the above curious jumble of Greek and Latin 

 nomenclatures. Aristotle, who first uses the word ' gla- 

 nis,^ describes under it ah individual not unlike in seve- 

 ral important particulars the S. glanis of modem times. 

 PHny next speaks of the silurus, and in several places 

 attributes to it what Aristotle does to the glanis.*' 

 iElian next considers the two names to belong to two 

 different fish frequenting different rivers; and, finally, 

 Athenseus, who agrees with jElian, twice marks a dis- 

 tinction by mentioning them separately ; from aU which 

 conflicting testimony this, at least, seems certain, that 



* The controversies and concessions of perplexed critics, caused 

 by tMs confusion in tlie ancient nomenclature, is amusing. Poor 

 Scaliger, having first asserted tliat tlie glanis and sUurus were 

 different fish, and the sUums certainly the sturgeon, next doubts, 

 and lastly becomes convinced, that the silurus was unknown to 

 Aristotle ; and after breaking his head to reconcile what was quite 

 irreconcilable, he offers Cardan, at last, to give up the contro- 

 versy altogether, on one condition — viz. that if he himself con- 

 sents no longer to dispute the identity of the glanis and silurus. 

 Cardan, on his side, must forbear to teach or Ksten to others 

 who would make him believe that the silurus was the sturgeon. 

 ' Itaque,' says he, laying down the conditions, ' silurus sane esto 

 qui et glanis, modo ne glanim quis dioat sturionem.' 



