146 ON CEEATODUS FOESTEEI. 



in Queensland, and are called by the natives ''Barramanda." 

 Two species have been found, C. meiolepis and C. Forsteri. 



The Ceratodus is very nearly allied to the Lepidosircn, is 

 cartilaginous, is a vegetable feeder, and like the Lepidosiren, 

 lives in muddy creeks. "When the hot weather sets in it buries 

 itself in the mud, and is dug up by the natives who hold it in 

 great esteem as food. 



The Ceratodas belongs to a sub-order of Ganoids called Dipnoi, 

 or double breathers, because it can breathe with lungs or gills, 

 either separately or conjointly. The nostrils are situated inside 

 the mouth (pi. 5, fig. 1). 



The Ceratodus, however, differs from the Lepidosiren by — 



(1) The Conus arteriosus having a ^r^'wsy^rs^ series of valves 

 instead of two longitudinal ones. 



(2) The ovaries havine transverse lamellse, instead of being 

 closed sacs. 



(3) The teeth being distinct, although only modifications of 

 the same type. 



(4) The Ceratodus is herbivorous, whereas the Lepidosiren 

 is a carnivorous amphibian. 



Although the Ceratodus cannot be said to be a true liver out of 

 water, yet there seems no doubt that it occasionally works its way 

 on to the muddy banks, and in the warm weather buries itself 

 until the return of the wet season. As seen in the figure 

 (pi. 4, fig, 1 ) the posterior half of the Barramanda is surrounded 

 by a vertical fin, which commences about the middle of the back 

 and ends behind the ventral paddle. There are two pairs of these 

 paddles (pectoral and ventral) which differ widely from the fins 

 of ordinary fishes, by a close resemblance to the caudal extremity 

 of the vertebral column. The body is entirely covered with large 

 scales (pi. 4, fig. 2) shewing the lines of growth very plainly, 

 and which are much smaller on the paddles and tail. The other 

 species (C. meiolepis) is covered by much smaller scales, which 

 constitute the principal difference between it and the present 

 subject of our paper (C. Forsteri). 



