RIVERS OF SOUTH AMERICA. 185 



and are the only organs of defence with which the 

 animal is furnished. The form of the body is more 

 oval than those we have been examining ; the colour 

 is uniformly of a bright ochreous yellow, covered 

 with a series of dark reticulated markings. 



These conclude the drawings which were en- 

 trusted to our care by Mr. Schomburgk, and from 

 them and the contents of these volumes generally, 

 some idea will have been gained of the forms of the 

 fishes which inhabit the rivers of the northern parts 

 of South America; but although many of them 

 have been considered as new to science, a very large 

 proportion indeed, when it is considered that Ich- 

 thyology was, as it were, only a secondary object 

 with our traveller, we consider that there are still 

 ample stores of novelty. In such an extent of water 

 as that which flows in those mighty streams, the 

 excursions of all the travellers who have yet tra- 

 versed parts of them are as nothing ; hundreds of 

 fishes are yet unknown, and thousands of living 

 creatures, of remarkable forms and structure, still 

 remain to reward the zeal and energy of the natu- 

 ralist who will trust himself amidst the privations 

 incident to such expeditions, or will brave the seve- 

 rity of climate and the pest of some of the minor 

 classes of these beings. " On peut executer sur 

 1' Amazon, le Rio Negro, et TOronoque au naviga- 



