24 Sir W. Jardine on the Habits o/* Lepidosiren annectens. 



present in Mr. Owen's specimen. They are of equal length, 

 about fths of an inch, and are barred as in the other ; but not 



being permitted to make any dissection, it has been impossible 

 to determine whether they were also supported by cartilagi- 

 nous rays ; it is probable that they may not, or that they are 

 very slight, but their presence seems important, as presenting 

 a passage even more modified from the true fin composed of 

 several rays, to the state of a single tentacle destitute of any 

 palmation or approach to the structure of a more perfect ex- 

 tremity. The posterior tentacle is single, but is much more 

 strongly formed than the long ray of the anterior ; it presented 

 no other differences except in comparative length. Can the 

 additional pectoral tentacles be a sexual difference ? 



The pores and ducts upon the head are disposed nearly as 

 we have endeavoured to represent them in the woodcut. 

 They are very large, and supply a large quantity of mucus ne- 

 cessary for, or at least assisting in, the preservation of the ani- 

 mal when it has retired from, or is deprived of, its native ele- 

 ment. Above and in front of the eye they are tortuous and 

 apparently continuous canals, and run backwards to com- 

 mence the lateral line ; and there is an angular one above 

 where each nostril is situate, the place of which can easily be 

 detected by looking with a magnifier at the snout, placed be- 

 tween the observer and the light. 



The progressive motions of this creature we should conceive 

 to be performed entirely by the caudal or posterior half of the 

 body, their direction being regulated by the tentacles. We can 

 fancy them to be very nearly similar to those of the Tritons, 



