Scientific Intelligence. — Zoohgy. 397 



Their progress is nearly as fast as a man will leisurely walk. 

 The strong scuta or bands which envelope their lx)dy, must 

 greatly facilitate their march, in the manner of the plates un- 

 der the belly of serpents, which are raised and depressed by a 

 voluntary power, in some measure performing the office of feet. 

 It is said that the other species, the rmind head, has not been 

 known to attempt such excursions, although it is capable of 

 living a long time out of its element ; but as I before observed, 

 it buries itself in the mud in the manner of the yarrows, when 

 the water is drying up. The Indians say that these fishes carry 

 water within them for a supply on their journey. There ap- 

 pears to be some truth in this statement ; for I have observed 

 that the bodies of the hassars do n(it get dry like those of other 

 fishes when taken out of the water : and if the moisture be ab- 

 sorbed, or they are wijx^d dry with a cloth, they have such a 

 power of secretion, that they became instantly moist again. In- 

 deed it it scarcely possible to dry the surface while the fish is 

 living *. — Dr Hancock. 



9. Fishes Nests. — It is asserted by naturalists that no 

 fishes are known to take any care of their offspring ; both the 

 before-mentioned species of hassar, however, make a regular 

 nest, in which they lay their eggs in a flattened cluster, and 



* On inspecting an old journal, which was kept during a tour to the Par- 

 mia, in 1810, I find that another species of these mailed fishes inhabits the 

 rapids of the Essequibo (interior of Guiana), one of which was caught by the 

 Indians whilst employed in hauling our canoes over the falls of that river, and 

 attracted my attention by^its curious structure and vivid colouring. It is re- 

 marked in the note alluded to, that this fish is not only furnished with the com- 

 mon appendages for swimming, but also with four strong bony supports, one 

 attached to each of the pectoral and belly-fins, (». e. constituting the first ray 

 of each), by which the animal creeps on the bottom of the river, and perhaps 

 where there is little or no water also, being, as it seems, partly amphibious ; for 

 although it had received a severe wound on the head, it did not expire till it 

 had been many hours out of the water. It has no proper teeth, but short, 

 flexible, curved spines (or seUs) on the lips ; one row on the upper, and two on 

 the under lip, (the upper jaw short and moveable). The pectoral fin has six 

 raoUi, besides the leg, if I may so term it, or ambulatory spine. The head, 

 and whole body, except the thorax^ are guarded by a coat of mail, consisting 

 of strong bony plates, supporting four longitudinal rows of curved spines on 

 each side ; colour of the body bright reddilh yellow, elegantly variegated with 

 black spots; the fin red at the extremities. It grows to about a foot in 

 length. 



JANUARY MARCH 1829- D ^ 



