THE EXISTING LUNGFISHES 



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situated on the vomers, behind which come a pair of palatal teeth of the type of the 

 one shown in the figure, but carrying six complete ridges, and an incomplete 

 seventh; while there are a pair of similar teeth in the lower jaw, carrying only six 

 ridges each. In the living species the teeth of opposite sides are separated by an 

 interval; but in the fossil forms they were :n contact, and had fewer ridges. The 

 existing Australian lungfishes, of which two species have been described, are said 

 to attain a weight of twenty pounds, and a length of upward of six feet. The body 

 is elongated and much compressed, with very large scales; the paddle-shaped limbs 

 have very broad fringes; and the flesh is salmon color. From the occurrence of 

 masses of leaves in its stomach it is evident that the Australian lungfish crops the 





AUSTRALIAN LUNGFISH. 



(One-seventh natural size.) 



vegetation with its great teeth, but it is believed that the most important part of its 

 food consists of the small creatures living on and between the leaves of the various 

 water plants. The stories of the fish coming out of the water to the land seem 

 quite unfounded, as are those that it lies dormant during part of the year in cocoons. 

 The female lays her rather large eggs loosely and singly among the vegetation, and 

 in the embryo the fore-limbs make their appearance in about a fortnight, but the 

 hinder pair not before two and a half months. In the course of its development 

 this fish presents marked resemblances to the Amphibians, and also to the lampreys, 

 but it is noteworthy that there is no trace of a sucking mouth, or of external gills. 



