228 A P ODES. 



cies of Esox Lin.) as well as the second species of 

 hassar, to which I shall presently refer, bury 

 themselves in the mud, while all the other fishes 

 perish for want of the natural element, or are pick- 

 ed up by rapacious birds, &£C. The flat headed 

 hassars, on the contrary, simultaneously quit the 

 place and march over land in search of water, trav- 

 elling for a whole night, as is asserted by the Indians, 

 in search of their object. I have ascertained, by 

 trial, that they will live many hours out of water, 

 even when exposed to the sun's rays. 



" Their motion over land is described to be 

 somewhat like that of the two-footed lizard. They 

 project themselves forward on their bony arm, by 

 the elastic spring of the tail exerted sidewise. 

 Their progress is nearly as fast as a man will lei- 

 surely walk. The strong scuta, or bands, which 

 envelope their body, must greatly facilitate their 

 march, in the manner of plates under the belly of 

 serpents, which are raised and depressed by a vol- 

 untary power, in some measure performing the of- 

 fice of feet. It is said that the other species, the 

 round head, has not been known to attempt such 

 excursions, although it is capable of living a long 

 time out of its element ; but as I before observed, 

 it buries itself in the mud in the manner of the 

 yarrows, when the water is drying up. 



" The Indians say that these fishes carry water 



