Art. XIV. — Xote on the Habits of Ceratodus fovsteri. 

 By W. Baldwin Spencer, M.A. 



Professor of Biology in the University of Melbourne. 

 TEead December 10, 1891.] 



With the exception of a short account given by Mr. 

 Caldwell before the Royal Society of New South Wales with 

 regard to the spawning and reproduction of Ceratodus I am 

 not aware of tliere being any note recenth' published with 

 regard to the habits of this animal. Having lately had the 

 opportunity of visiting the Burnett and Mary River districts, 

 1 was enabled to gain a little information with reference to 

 its habits which may prove of interest. 



As is well known, the group Dipnoi contains only three 

 forms, of which one (Lepidosiren) is found only in Brazil, 

 another (Protopterus) is conrined to West Africa and the 

 third (Ceratodus) at the present time exists only in the 

 Burnett and Mary Rivers in Queensland. My remarks have 

 reference to the Burnett District for thougli I was for m 

 short time near the Mary River at Gympie 1 did not there 

 come in contact with the animal. 



In the first place, care must be taken with i-egard to the 

 name ; neither of the terms lung-fish or mud-fish, so far as 

 my experience goes, is known to the settlei's in the district. 

 Neither at Gympie on the Mary, nor at Gayndah and othec 

 places along the Burnett, did those with whom I conversed on 

 the subject recognise Ceratodus under either of tliese names. 

 It has however two common names, one of which is the 

 " Burnett Salmon," and the other the " Barramunda." Care 

 has, however, to be taken when the latter name is used, 

 since this is properly applied to a very difierent form, a true 

 teleostean fish (Osteoglossum leichardti), which is not fouml 



G 



