1897.] MR. J. GEAHAM KEBE ON LEPIDOSIBBTf. 921 



Hospital on the Vtli inst., when I was able to introduce without 

 clitti( ulty a no. 12 catheter, 5| millim. in diameter, into the urethra 

 of a male subject lying for post-mortem examination. The calibre of 

 the fish being only 3 to 4 millim., no doubt can be raised as to its 

 being able to enter the orifice of the urethra in the manner that has 

 been described by various travellers in Brazil." 



A communication was read from Dr. E. A. Goeldi, C.M.Z.S., 

 Director of the Para Museum, on his recent discovery of Lepido- 

 siren {Lepidosiren pamcloxa) on the Lower Amazon. From 1894 up 

 to the date of his paper he had obtained five specimens, of which one 

 had been found in the island of Marajo at the mouth of the river, one 

 near Santarem, and the remainiog three in the neighbourhood of 

 Obydos. One of the specimens from Obj^dos was alive, and Dr. Goeldi 

 had been able to keep it under observation for about four months. 



Of the five specimens, four were females, the fifth and male 

 showing on its one remaining hind limb the peculiar papillae 

 described and figured by Prof. Lankester in the Society's ' Trans- 

 actions.' Dr. Goeldi gave the dimensions of his specimens and 

 alluded to the asymmetric position of the cloacal opening. As 

 regards colour, amongst living animals, he believed, brown pre- 

 dominated, and he was of opinion that the great variation in the 

 colour of preserved specimens was due to the action of alcohol. 

 The limb-axis was found to be distinctly segmented. 



The lateral-line system was shortly described. On each side of 

 the body were three lines, of which the middle and lower ones were 

 fairly continuous, the dorsal one consisting, on the other hand, of 

 a series of short vertical lines one behind the other. "What the 

 precise relations of these were to the general metamerism of the 

 animal Dr. Goeldi was unable to say. 



In regard to the creature's habits. Dr. Goeldi stated that it was 

 an inhabitant of submerged regions where the water was com- 

 paratively shallow. In the dry season it was found in small pools 

 left by the retiring waters, and there it was fond of performing 

 violent movements, lashing the water with its tail. In the dry 

 season there was httle doubt that the Lepidosiren remained hidden 

 in the lower regions of the mud. The specimen in captivity had not 

 been seen to feed, though offered a variety of food. It came to the 

 surface at intervals to breathe in air, the intervals being shorter 

 in a smaller and longer in a larger tank. The surface of the body 

 gave off a gluey material, which formed whitish flakes in thew-ater. 

 In habits the creature was sluggish, unless disturbed, and then it 

 performed elegant and varied evolutions in the water. 



Dr. Goekli's memoir will be publishea in full in the Society's 

 ' Transactions,' 



Mr. J. Graham Kerr, P.Z.S., gave a short account of bis recent 

 expedition to the Gran Chaco of Paraguay with the object of inves- 

 tigating the development of Lepidosiren. He was accompanied by 

 Mr. J. 8. Budgett, of Trinity College, Cambridge, and was assisted 



Peoc. Zool. Soc,— 1897, No, LXI. 61 



