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MALACOPTERYGII. — SILURIDiE. 
flowing rivers of both hemispheres, but chiefly in 
the hotter regions of the globe ; a single species 
only is European, which is not a native of this 
country. 
From what little is recorded of the manners of 
these Ashes, they appear to lie habitually con- 
cealed in the mud of the bottom, with their long 
cirri floating free. The smaller Ashes, attracted 
by these organs, approach to examine them, and 
are sucked in by the Sheat-flsh, and for the most 
part swallowed whole. Many of the species are , 
eaten with avidity notwithstanding their hideous 
aspect, the flesh being white. Arm, and of good 
flavour. 
They may be considered as forming two Sub- 
families, the Silurina^ with the skin naked and 
slimy ; and the Loricariana, in which the head 
and body are mailed with large bony plates. The 
latter are chiefly South American Ashes. 
Genus Silurus. (Linn.) 
The head in this genus is large, round, flat and 
naked, the mouth furnished with three pairs of 
long cirri ; the body is lengthened ; there is one 
small dorsal An, unarmed with any spine ; the 
pectorals and ventrals are small, but the anal is 
very long ; the caudal is rounded. 
The Sheat-flsh or Sly Silure {Silurus glanis^ 
Linn.), the only member of the Family which 
inhabits Europe, is perhaps the largest of fresh- 
water Ashes. In the large rivers of Austria and 
Southern Russia, where it attains its greatest de- 
velopment, it is said to be sometimes taken twelve 
and even flfteen feet in length, with a mouth suf- 
