286 MY LIFE 



them. Many of the species are very like some of our com- 

 monest river-fish, such as gudgeons, dace, roach, tench, and 

 bream, and I have drawings of no less than sixty-five species 

 of the family. They are all, I believe, eatable, but are not 

 held to be fishes of the best quality. 



The next figure {Pimelodus holomelas) is an example of 

 the family Siluridse, which is found in the fresh waters of all 

 parts of the world. The cat-fishes of North America and 

 the sturgeons of Eastern Europe belong to it. I obtained 

 thirty-four species on the Rio Negro, many being of a large 

 size. They are generally bottom-feeding fishes and are 

 greatly esteemed, the flesh being very fat and rich, quite 

 beyond any of our English fishes. 



The next figure (Plecostomus guacari) is one of the 

 Loricariidse, which are allied to the Siluridae, but characterized 

 by hard bony scales or plates, and dangerous bony spines to 

 the dorsal and pectoral fins; Many are of very strange and 

 repulsive forms, and though eatable are not esteemed. I 

 obtained seven species of these curious fishes. 



The remaining two figures serve to illustrate the family 

 Cichlidse, one of the most abundant and characteristic groups 

 of South American fishes. All are of moderate size, and feed 

 partially or entirely on vegetable substances, especially fruits 

 which grow on the river-banks and when ripe fall into the 

 water. They are caught with fruits as a bait, and the fisher- 

 man gently lashes the water with his rod so as to imitate 

 the sound of falling fruit, thus attracting the fish. Some of 

 these are the most delicious fish in the world, both delicate 

 and fat, to such an extent that the water they are boiled in 

 is always served at table in basins, and is a very delicious 

 broth, quite different to any meat broth and equal to the 

 best. It is more like a very rich chicken broth than any- 

 thing else. I obtained twenty-two species of this family of 

 fishes, the little Pterophyllum scalaris, called the butterfly 

 fish, being one of the most fantastic of fresh-water fishes. 

 The other, Cichlosoma severum, is one of the best for the 

 table. 



I have presented my collection of fish drawings to the 



