IG 



Ceratodus of Queensland. Tlie Ceratodus is an tMrly form of fisli, scarcely more developed than the shark. Like the 

 shark, it has a persistent notochord, and many of its bones are cartilaginous; l)ut it possesses two impoitant 'structures 

 which fit it for existence on land, namely, an airliladder. so modified as to enable it to breathe air when on landywhilst it 



still breathes with its 'gills when 



in water, and a heart which has 

 two auricles instead of only one, 

 as in all otlicr tishes. These mud 

 lishes were for a long time classed 

 amongst amphibians, and were not 

 at first recoonised as being fish at 

 all. There are many more highly- 

 developed fishes which are able to 

 e.xist for a great length of time 

 out of water, such, for instance, 

 as the climbing jK-rches of India, 

 wliich go overland in hirge droves ; 

 but these fishes tlo so liy keeping 

 their gills constantly moistened; 

 They have no true air-breathing 

 ap))aratus. It is through the lowly 

 nnid fishes that the gr-eat advance 

 fiiun water to land has taken place. 

 Indeed, all the great advances in 

 animal life have been through low 

 and humble forms. The line of 

 ilescent which has led to the 

 highest forms has not passed 

 through the Crustacea and the 

 wonderfully organized insects, but 

 through the worm ; it has not 

 passed through the great cuttle 

 fishes and octopus, but through 

 some lusty ascidian ; the entrance 

 to the vertebrates was by the little 

 amphioxus ; the entrance to the 

 air-breathing vertebrates was not 

 through the great tyrants of the 

 ocean, but through the despised 

 and lowly mud fish, and the 

 mammalia first appeared in some 

 modest form like the Tasmanian 

 duck-bill or platypus." .So that 

 it seems nature teaches ns not to 

 despise small beginnings ; and that 

 those events which are ushered in 

 \\ ith much ponip and pride are not 

 always the most important. 



Hut this is w^andering from the 

 subject. To come back to the 

 seals. I'he brain of the seal is 

 not only very large, but richly 

 conv<)lnted, and consequently we 

 fiiul that the animal is propor- 

 tionately intelligent. Like the 

 otter, it can lie tamed, and trained 

 to catch fish at the command and 

 for the benefit of its owner. Like 

 the dog, it becomes greatly attached to man, and many stories are told which display its extraordinary anrl touching att'ec- 

 tion. In its natural condition its habits are exceedingly curious ; and no more interesting picture can be drawn than that 

 of the domestic life of seals, more especially of eared seals, which are numerously represented in the southern seas. We 

 take the following from Captain Charles Bryanfs account of a sea-lion's " rookery,"' as the breeding-ground is called. The 

 same rookery is used from year to year. As breeding time approaches, a few old veteran males make their appearance 

 near the shores of the land on which the rookery is situated, and, after two or three days' careful ree<iiiii(iis.«ai<-c, venture 

 ashore, and snudl aliout tlie place. If their exann'iuition is so far satisfactory, then after a day or two .some of them climb 

 the slojies, and lie with their heads erect listening. All lieing as it should be, these scouts depart, and some 

 days after .small numbers of male seals of all ages begin to arrive. The old patriarchs take their places near 

 the shore, and compel the younger males to either stay in the water or go to uplaiuls above. Each ohl male 

 takes possession of a piece of ground 10 feet sijuare. This is necessary for the accommodation of his extensive 

 harem, for he takes from ten to fifteen wives, and it is al-so re(iuired for him to have room to fight in case of necessity, such 

 necessity very often occurring, as we shall see. The male .seals contimie to arrive in small numbers daily, and the later 

 I'omers have to fight iheir way through the ranks of the early comers. Kaeh male tries to get the place he occupied the 

 previous year; probably he finds his claim has been " jumped," whereupon he proceeds to comliat ; and great is the 



