306 PEOSB HALIEUTICS. 



the glanis and silurus not being the same fish, the mo- 

 dern silurus glanis must needs be an impostor^ swim- 

 ming about with a false passport, and personating two 

 different individuals. Aristotle describes his glanis as 

 an inhabitant of fresh water, of vast dimensionSj easy to 

 hook, but, on account of very strong teeth, not so easy 

 to retain ; as having a tail like that of the KopSvXo^ ;* 

 as liable to divers mishaps ; at the bottom to be attacked 

 by the sea dragon, and on the surface to be star- and 

 thundet-struck : as spawning ova the size of peas or 

 vetches ; and as showing much affection to the nascent 

 progeny ;t as only fit for food after the roe has been de- 

 posited ; and, finally, as presenting this unusual culinary 

 anomaly — the females are more delicate at table than 

 the males. Pliny, speaking of the silurus, adds to all 

 this (which in essential points agrees with the modern 

 silurus glanis) J that 'he is a cut-throat whithersoever 

 he goeth, a great devourer, and maketh foul work, for 

 no living creature comes amiss to him ; he setteth upon 

 all indifferently, the very horses ofttimes as they swim 

 he devoureth, and especially in Moenis, a river in Grer- 

 many, near to Lisboa, or Erlisbones/ Pausanias affirms 



* A small amphibious creature, utterly unknown ; and so afford- 

 ing no assistance in determining wliat the glania may be from a 

 comparison of tails. 



t The male continues, we are told, a close watch for forty or 

 fifty days, during all which time he suffers no other fins to come 

 near the brood ; whilst the female kiadly consents to give them 

 up to his exclusive care and management. 



J Ausonius, under the same name of silurus, describes a spe- 

 cies of river-fish, of very large size, to which he gives the title of 

 mitis balcena, or ' gentle whale ;' this siugle epithet shows that 

 Ausonius's glanis cannot be the glanis, which is mighty indeed, 

 but not by any means ' mitis ;' whilst his description of the pro- 

 gress of these balsenae in a body up the MoseUe, leaves no ground 

 for doubt that he has in this place some larger species of stur- 

 geon in view. 



