[ 44 6 3 
THE fifh 1 %. r, in its fhape a good deal efem- 
bles the SilurusRondeletii; like it too having no fcales. 
Its length (from the nofe to the tip of the tail) 20 
inches ; weight 20 ounces but they are of different lizes. 
The head and back are of a black colour, The lateral 
line runs quite from the head to the tail, on the mid- 
dle of the iide ; below which, to the belly, the co- 
lour gradually changes into a dark purple : of the 
fame colour is the under part of the head. The 
head is flat, and in length near five inches. The 
body roundifh, till within a few inches of the tail, 
where it grows flat. The mouth is not fo large in pro- 
portion as that of the Silurusj it has no tongue, and the 
ftrudture of the mouth and palate agree exactly with the 
defcription of that fifh. From the edge of the noftril on 
each fide arifes a fmall cirrus ; and from the angles of 
the mouth two others, that are fbronger, and twice as 
long. On the lower lip are four more, the two ex- 
ternal being the longed. The eyes are fituated near 
the corner of the mouth, clofe upon the inferior 
edge of the upper jaw. The branchice are four on 
each fide, and all of them have a double row of 
lharp points, like the teeth of a comb. It has two 
fins, fituated near to the branchice , confiding of feven 
radii , to the interior part of which is joined a pretty 
drong prickly bone : about an inch above the anus are 
two fmaller fins. A long fin extends from a little way 
under the anus to the tail, as another of the fame 
kind does from the neck all along the back : neither 
of thefe fins join with the tail, which is round at the 
tip, and compofed of about twenty-two feathers. 
Thia 
