FOOD OF THE LEPIDOSIREN. 183 



I have several times seen the creature while swimming about in search of a dinner, and 

 have been much struck with the exceeding grace of its movements, which, indeed, very 

 strongly resemble those of the otter. 



At last its depredations were checked, for when the basin, was cleansed, according to 

 custom, a portion was fenced off, so that the Lepidosiren could not get out, and the gold-fish 

 could not get in. 



Not choosing to supply a succession of gold-fish, out of each of which the fastidious 

 creature would only take one bite, the superintendent bethought himself of frogs, and fed the 

 animal regularly with these batrachians. But having been warned, by the effects on the gold- 

 fish, not to trust his fingers within reach of the teeth that could inflict such very effective 

 bites, he got a long stick, cleft one end of it, put one hind-foot of the frog into the cleft, and 

 held it on the surface of the water, so that the struggles of the intended victim should agitate 

 the surface, and warn the Lepidosiren that its dinner was ready. No sooner did the frog 

 begin to splash, than the Lepidosiren rose rapidly beneath it, seized it in its mouth, dragged 

 it off the stick like a pike striking at a roach, and sunk to the bottom with its prey. Not a 

 vestige of the frog was ever seen afterwards ; and Mr. Wilson naturally conjectures that 

 the poor victim was gradually chewed up, like the beef with which the creature was 

 formerly fed. 



Under this regimen the Lepidosiren grew apace, and in three years had increased from ten 

 inches in length and a few ounces in weight, to thirty inches long, and weighing six pounds 

 and a quarter. The rapidity of its growth may be accounted for by the fact, that it had fed 

 throughout the entire year, instead of lying dormant for want of water during half its 

 existence, and its size was apparently larger than it would be likely to attain in its 

 native state. 



Thinking that perhaps the creature might need its accustomed season of repose happily 

 called aestivation, in opposition to the term hibernation it was well supplied with clay similar 

 to that from which its cocoon had been formed, but without any result, the animal evincing no 

 disposition to avail itself of the stores so thoughtfully collected in its behalf. This is, I think, 

 a very interesting example of the manner in which nature accommodates herself to circum- 

 stances, and is paralleled by many other instances in the several departments of Natural 

 History. Bees, for example, on finding themselves within easy distance of a sugar plantation, 

 have been known to decline honey making ; and the same result has occurred when they were 

 transported to fertile localities where the honey-bearing flowers are in blossom throughout 

 the year. 



As an example of a similar phenomenon occurring in the vegetable kingdom, I may 

 instance some Australian flowers brought over by Mr. Howitt, and planted in his garden. 

 These plants were at first sadly puzzled by the seasons, wanting to blossom just as our winter 

 had set in, but in the course of a few years they grew gradually later in blossoming, until they 

 had found the proper season, and then were content to put forth their leaves and flowers at the 

 same time as the indigenous plants. 



The cause of this specimen's regretted death was rather curious. In the winter time, 

 when the basins were cleaned, the animal was removed from one basin to another, while the 

 former was being emptied. Unfortunately, the fires which warmed the water were suffered to 

 expire during the night, and in the morning the poor Lepidosiren was found chilled 

 to death. 



The history of this creature is not only interesting, but is valuable as it shows the 

 comparative advantages of watching the habits of animals in large and small habitations. 

 Had, for example, the creature lived from the first in the large basin, its remarkable mode of 

 eating its food could not have been observed, as it always seeks the bottom of its prison 

 for that purpose ; while, had it been always kept in the glass tank, its graceful movements and 

 fish-eating propensities would never have been discovered. 



The bones of the Lepidosiren are, when first taken from the body, of a bright green color, 

 and so gelatinous in structure, that if left in the water they would probably dissolve. After 

 a time, however, the green color fades, though traces of it can still be discerned. The bones 



