6452 



Fihes. 



Lepidosiren in the Crystal Palace." I select Mr. Bartlett's communi- 

 cation for reprinting, because it not only comprises the main facts 

 noticed by Mr. Hawkins, but gives additional matter of much 

 interest. 



In June last," says Mr. Bartlett, " I received from Western Africa 

 a case containing four specimens of this animal. Each specimen was 

 imbedded in a block of dry, hard, muddy clay, about the size of a 

 quartern loaf ; these blocks of clay were each sewn up in a piece of 

 canvas to prevent the clay crumbling or falling to pieces. According 

 to the instruction I received from Captain Chamberlayne, the gentleman 

 who sent them, I placed them in a tank of fresh water, at the temper- 

 ature of 83 degrees ; in doing this a portion of the clay crumbled off 

 one of them, and partly exposed the case in which the animal was 

 contained ; 1 was watching the operation when suddenly the case or 

 cocoon rose to the surface of the water. I at first thought the animal 

 contained in it must be dead, but I shortly afterwards observed a 

 slight motion : apparently the animal was endeavouring to extricate 

 itself, and this it soon afterwards accomplished by breaking through 

 the side of its tough covering : it swam about immediately, and by 

 diving into the mud and clay, which by this time had become softened, 

 rendered it difficult to make further observations. I removed the case 

 or cocoon, which still floated. On the following morning I found that 

 two more of the animals had made their appearance, their cases, how- 

 ever, w 7 ere not to be seen ; they evidently remained imbedded in the 

 soft clay. In the course of the next day the fourth animal suddenly 

 floated to the surface, enveloped in its case ; as it showed no signs of 

 life I removed it, and found the animal had been dead some time, as 

 it w as much decomposed. At the time these animals first made their 

 appearance they were very thin, and about nine inches long ; they 

 began to feed immediately upon earth-worms, small frogs, fish, &c, 

 occasionally taking raw flesh. I saw them sometimes attack each 

 other ; and one of them (I imagine in endeavouring to escape) leaped 

 out of the tank into the large basin in the Crystal Palace in which the 

 tank was standing, and is still at large among the water-lilies, &c. The 

 remaining two lived together for some time, apparently on good terms ; 

 but, in the month of August, the one now remaining in the tank seized 

 its companion and devoured nearly half of it, leaving only the head 

 and about half the length of its body. In feeding, this creature masti- 

 cates its food much, frequently putting it forward almost quite out of 

 its mouth and then gradually chewing it back again, and often (when 

 led upon raw flesh), alter having so chewed it for some time, it will 



