Page:Natural History, Fishes.djvu/242

228 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 fishes, they appear to lie habitually concealed in the mud of the bottom, with their long cirri floating free. The smaller fishes, attracted by these organs, approach to examine them, and are sucked in by the Sheat-fish, and for the most part swallowed whole. Many of the species are eaten with avidity notwithstanding their hideous aspect, the flesh being white, firm, 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 fishes.

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 fin, unarmed with any spine; the pectorals and ventrals are small, but the anal is very long; the caudal is rounded.

The Sheat-fish or Sly Silure (Silurus glanis, .), the only member of the Family which inhabits Europe, is perhaps the largest of fresh-water fishes. In the large rivers of Austria and Southern Russia, where it attains its greatest development, it is said to be sometimes taken twelve and even fifteen feet in length, with a mouth