The End of Odd Fishes. 65 
larger than a pea, perfectly uninjured, and in a forward 
state of development.” 
Europe possesses but one species of the Siluridz, the 
Silurus glanis— glanis, a crafty fish, which bites away the 
bait without meddling with the hook,” writes Pliny. Sly 
soever as it may be, nevertheless it shows some remarkable 
traits of parental instincts ; papa and mamma sly Szlurus 
both taking an active part in protecting their numerous 
children after they emerge from the eggs. The Sudus 
gigus,a Siluroid found in the large rivers Amazon and 
Negro, and that, according to Schomburgk, attains to a 
weight of two hundred pounds, regularly bolts its entire 
family if apprehensive of danger. The roe is never de- 
posited, but the young escape from the eggs whilst con- 
tained in the ovarium, and make their way into the cavity 
of the abdomen, where the hatching is completed. When 
sufficiently matured to risk an independent life, the 
numerous offspring issue forth, and, like a pack of aquatic 
hounds, swim in close companionship immediately above 
the mother’s head. Should an enemy suddenly attack the 
little assembly, or other danger menace their safety, then, 
like an immense gateway, the mother’s mouth spreads open, 
and presto, pass, in go the infant fishes, slam goes the gate, 
and safe as in a castle with drawbridge up and portcullis 
down, the fry lie ensconed in the chest of their mother. 
The Gil/éakra, a marine Siluroid, and the Zam/au, from 
the rivers of Guiana, in a like manner swallow their 
families and vomit them up again on the disappearance of 
danger. The latter fish is esteemed a great delicacy by 
the natives inhabiting the districts wherein it is found; 
but, nevertheless, catching it isa service of extreme danger. 
When hooked, the monster quietly swims off with the 
canoe and its freight of fishermen quite as easily as a 
Thames-tug-boat paddles away with a long fleet of coal- 
barges; and as these rivers appear to be broken into 
numerous waterfalls, over which the “Zamlau” does not 
in the least mind taking a header—rather likes it than 
otherwise—the sport, to my fancy, must be far too exciting 
to be pleasant. 
The “ Hard-back,” a fish belonging to the genus Cal- 
lichthys, which is found along the coast of Guiana, builds a 
regular nest of leaves and grass-stalks, in holes in mud- 
banks not very far below the surface of the water; into 
these fish-nests the roe is placed. The eggs once safely 
deposited in the nest, let all fishes or egg-loving enemies 
