S I L U R U S. 223 
insects; the gape is very large, extending almost the whole 
length of the head; the lips are thick, jaws furnished with 
teeth; the tongue thick, smooth, and very short; the eyes 
are small; the gill-membrane is characterized with from 
four to seventeen rays; body elongated, compressed, with- 
scales, mucous; lateral line near the back; the first ray of 
the dorsal or pectoral fins serrate, with reversed spines. 
There are twenty-eight species, divided into sections, ac¬ 
cording to the number of their cirri, as follows:— 
I.—Two Cirri. 
1. Silurus militaris.—The specific character of this is, that 
its second dorsal fin is fleshy; cirri bony, toothed.—-It in¬ 
habits many rivers in Asia; feeds on smaller fishes, and 
grows to a large size. It is from twelve to eighteen inches 
long; the head and fore-parts are broad and depressed; the 
mouth is very, wide; the teeth are small and numerous; the 
eyes are large; on each side the head, near the nostrils, a 
very strong subcrest, spine, or bony process; first ray of the 
dorsal fin excessively large, strong, and sharply serrated, 
both on the middle part and towards the tip; the tail 
slightly bilobate, with rounded lobes. It is a native of the 
Indian rivers. 
.2. Silurus inermis.—Second dorsal fin fleshy; fins un¬ 
armed. It inhabits the rivers of Surinam. This is denomin¬ 
ated by some naturalists the subolivaceous silurus. It is 
transversely banded with brown spots, with unarmed fins, 
and flexuous lateral lines. It is about twelve inches in length; 
the head is bony, but smooth, and it is destitute of spiny 
processes.—It is a native of the Indian and South American 
rivers. 
II. —Four Cirri. 
3. Silurus asotus.—The back of this fish has only one 
fin: it inhabits Asia: there are two cirri above the mouth, 
end two beneath; the teeth are numerous; the dorsal fin 
is without spinous rays; the first ray of the pectoral is 
serrate: the anal fin is long, and connected with the 
caudal. 
4. Silurus Chilensis.—-Second dorsal fin fleshy; the tail is 
lanceolate:—it inhabits the fresh waters of Chili: it is about 
ten inches long; the body is brown; beneath it is white. 
The flesh is said to be excellent. 
5. Silurus bagre.—-Second dorsal fin fleshy ; first ray of 
the dorsal and pectoral fins setaceous.—It inhabits South 
America. 
6. Silurus callichthys.—Second dorsal fin one-rayed; a 
double row of scales on the sides.-—It inhabits the small 
running streams of Europe, and when these are dried up, 
it crawls across meadows in search of water: it is said to 
perforate the sides of reservoirs, for the purpose of making 
its escape. 
III. -—Six Cirri. 
7. Silurus glanis, or European Silurus.—-This is also 
called the great or common silurus, and may be considered 
as the largest of all European river-fish, growing, in some 
cases, to the length of eight, ten, twelve, or even fifteen 
feet, and to the weight of 300 pounds. Its more general 
length, however, is from two to four feet. The head is 
broad and depressed; the body thick, and of a lengthened 
form, with the abdomen very thick and short. • It is of a 
sluggish disposition, being rarely observed in motion, and 
commonly lying half imbedded in the soft bottom of the 
rivers which it frequents, under the protecting roots of trees, 
rocks, logs, or other substances. In this situation it remains, 
with its wide mouth half open, gently moving about the 
long cirri situated on each side the jaws, which the smaller 
fishes mistaking for worms, and attempting to seize, become 
a ready prey to the silurus. The colour of this species is 
dark olive, varied with irregular spots of black ; the abdo¬ 
men and lips are of a pale flesh-colour, and the fins are 
tinged with violet.—It is an inhabitant of the larger rivers 
Europe, as well as some parts of Asia and Africa, but it 
appears to be most plentiful in the north of Europe. It is 
not much esteemed as food, the flesh being of a glutinous 
nature; but from its cheapness, it is in much request among 
the inferior ranks of society, and is eaten either fresh or 
salted. The skin, which is smooth, and destitute of appa¬ 
rent scales, is dried and stretched, and after rubbing with 
oil, becomes of a horny transparency and strength, and is 
used in some of the northern regions instead of glass for 
windows. The silurus is not a very prolific fish, depositing 
a small quantity of spawn, consisting of large globules or 
ova; these, as well as the newly hatched young, are fre¬ 
quently the prey of other fishes, frogs, &c., and thus the 
great increase of the species is prevented,. The ova are said 
to be hatched in about a week after their exclusion. 
8. Silurus electricus.—The dorsal fin is single and fleshy. 
The head is depressed ; the eyes are moderate, covered with 
the common- skin; the teeth are crowded, small, and sharp 
in each jaw; the nostrils are very minute; each side approxi¬ 
mate; upper lip bearded with two cirri, the lower with 
four, of which the exterior ones are longer.—It inhabits the 
rivers of Africa. It is about twenty inches long; the body 
is long and broad on the fore part, depressed, pale ash- 
colour, with a few blackish spots towards the tail; when 
touched, it communicates a trifling shock, attended with a 
sort of trembling and pain in the limbs, but less violent than 
that given by the torpedo. 
9. Silirus torpedo, otherwise named Gymnotus Elec¬ 
tricus, which see. 
10. Silurus felis.—The second dorsal fin of the fish of 
this species is fleshy; it has 23 anal rays; the fail is bifid. 
■—-It is found in Carolina; the body above is blueish. 
11. Silurus galeatus.—The second dorsal fin of this fish 
is fleshy; it has 24 anal rays, and the tail is entire.—It in¬ 
habits South America. The head is covered with a hard 
coriaceous shield; the spinous rays of the pectoral and 
dorsal fins are rigid. 
12. Silurus carinatus.—Second dorsal fin fleshy; the 
lateral line is spinous; the cirri under the lower lip are con¬ 
nected.—-It inhabits Surinam; the body is compressed. 
13. Silurus niloticus.—-The second dorsal fin of this is 
fleshy; the anal rays are ten in number.—It is found in the 
Nile; is fourteen inches and a half long; the body is of a 
brownish-grey; the sides of the head are blueish; the end 
of the nose, under part of the head, pectoral tins and cirri, 
are tinged with red: there is a semicircle of reddish at the 
commencement of the tail. 
14. Silurus clarius.-—Second dorsal fin fleshy; anal rays 
eleven.—It inhabits the rivers of South America and Africa; 
is from twelve to fifteen inches long; the body is of a black¬ 
ish-ash, beneath it is hoary; it is said to inflict venomous 
wounds with the serrated pectoral fin. 
15. Silurus fasciatus.—Second dorsal fin fleshy ; the 
anal rays are thirteen.—It inhabits Surinam and the Brazils: 
the body is black, with white bands on each side, beneath 
it is white; the flesh is in high esteem; the head is de¬ 
pressed, rounded on the fore part; a third part as long as 
the whole body ; the fins are all spotted with "black. 
16. Silurus ascita.—The second dorsal fin fleshy; it has 
eighteen anal rays.—It inhabits India, and appears to be of 
a mixed kind between oviparous and viviparous. 
17. Silurus costatus.—Second dorsal fin is fleshy; a single 
row of scales on the sides; the tail is bifid.—-It inhabits South 
America and India. 
18. Silurus cataphractus.—Second dorsal fin of one ray; 
a single row of scales on the sides; the tail is entire.—It 
inhabits South America. 
IV.—Eight Cirri. 
19. Silurus aspredo.—Dorsal, fin single, five-rayed.—It is 
found in the rivers of America. The base of the lateral 
cirri broad; the back carinate; the anal fin reaching to the 
tail; the tail is forked. 
20. Silurus mystus.—The dorsal fin is single, and single- 
rayed.—It inhabits the Nile; the tail is forked. 
21. Silurus anguillaris.—Dorsal fin single, seventy-rayed. 
—It 
