1898.1 



HABITS OF LEPIDOSIREJf. 



43 



to three-quarters of an inch. The last one close to the head of the 

 Lolach had the appearance of being unfinished. It had the usual 

 two round holes — a slit, and in the centre a circular opening an 

 inch in diameter. 



" 3. The inside of the ' cocoon ' contains no grass or weeds, but 

 is damp and slimy hke the channel leading to it, only very much 

 damper, and the sides are lined with a gelatinous but tasteless sub- 

 stance, and on the removal of the beast from its sleeping-place, 

 the moisture is visible, congregated at the foot of the nest in a 

 very small quantity. There is very little space between the walls 

 of the nest and the animal itself, especially near the head. The. 

 foot of the nest is deeper, but nothing but firm clay lined with 

 this slimy, sticky, gelatinous fluid already mentioned. 



Mk. 3. 





View of a dry-season burrow of Lepidosiren, as seen in section. 



" 4. The average size of the cocoon in which the Lolach sleeps is 

 14 X 6 inches. It is oblong in shape, about six inches at the foot 

 and three or four inches at the mouth in width. 



" The specimens I personally took from the cocoons were all 

 full-grown ones, but the Indians have caught young ones, an inch 

 in diameter and about a foot long, in their nests. 



" 5. The nest varies in depth from the surface from fourteen to 

 twenty inches. It is slanting, the head sometimes being four 

 inches higher than the bottom of the nest. The Lolacli lies on his 

 belly and chin, his tail is brought over the right eye and round the 

 mouth, so covering the whole face. The head is of course nearest 

 to the opening. 



