[ 413 ] 



IX. On the Lepidosiren of the Amazons ; being Notes on five Specimens obtained 

 between 1895-97, and Remarks upon an Example living in the Para Museum. 

 By Dr. Emil A. Goeldi, C.M.Z.S., Director of the Para Museum. 



Received September 16, 1897, read December 14, 1897. 



[Plates XXXVIl. & XXXVIII.] 



Contents. Page 



I. Introduction 413 



II. Geographical Distribution 414 



III. Sex and Measurements 414 



IV. Situation of the Anus, and external Colour 415 



v. Segmentation of Limb-axis 416 



VI. System of Lateral Lines 416 



VII. Popular Names of Lepidosiren and its Habits in a free State 417 



VIII. Habits of Lepidosiren in Captivity 418 



Explanation of the Plates 419 



I. Introduction. 



The undeniable deficiency of original investigations upon the biology of the Amazonian 

 Lepidosiren, made by naturalists and scientific travellers in the native country of this 

 interesting Dipnoan fish, will, I think, sufficiently justify the following communication. 

 Sufficient proof of this deficiency is found in the recent memoir by Prof. E. Ray 

 Lankester i, in which the following passage occurs (p. 19) :— " .... We have no drawing 

 or record of freshly-killed or living specimens of Lepidosiren." On the other hand> a 

 considerable number of articles and notes have been published during the last few 

 years by myself and others relating to the general features of the natural history of 

 Lepidosiren and its allies, and to the history, description, and number of specimens 

 existing in the museums of the Old and New Worlds, so that I may take it for granted 

 that these particulars are known to the public, and that I may be allowed to restrict 

 myself to such a short account of the subject as is indicated by the title of this paper. 



The rediscovery of the Amazonian Lepidosiren, together with the elucidation of its 

 habitat, distribution, and mode of life, formed one of my principal projects from the 

 time I assumed my present position (1894). I will not here repeat the details of my 

 efforts ; it will be sufficient to state that I organized a methodical propaganda all over 



' "On the Lepidosiren of Paraguay, and on the External Characters of Lepidosiren and Froto^'terus," 

 Trans. ZooL Soo. Lend. xiv. p. 11 (1896). 



VOL. XIV.— PART VII. No. 1. — August, 1S98. 3 i 



