3i8 



ZOOLOGY OF 



The waters oi the Amazon, up even to the base of the 

 Andes, are inhabited by several species of true Cetacea, of 

 which, however, we have as yet but very scanty information. 



Two, if not more, species of Dolphins are common in every 

 part of the Amazon, and in almost all of its tributaries. They 

 are found above the falls of the Rio Negro, and in the Cassi- 

 quiare and Upper Orinooko. They vary in size and colour, 

 and two of them have distinct Indian names.- — Piraiowara 

 (Fish-dog), and Tucuxi. 



D'Orbigny mentions their being killed by the inhabitants of 

 Bolivia to make oil. In the Lower Amazon and Rio Negro 

 they are scarcely ever caught, and I was unable to obtain a 

 specimen. The species described by D'Orbigny is probably 

 distinct, as he mentions their being twenty feet long, whereas 

 none I have seen could have exceeded six or seven. 



Herbivorous Cetacea are also found in the Amazon ; they 

 are called by the Brazilians, Peixe boi, or cow-fish, and by the 

 Indians, Juaroua. 



It has not yet been ascertained, whether the cow-fish of the 

 Amazon is the same as the Manatus of the West Indies and 

 the coasts of Guiana, or a distinct species. All the accounts 

 of the Mafiatus Ainericanus mention it as being twelve or 

 fifteen feet long on the average, and sometimes reaching 

 twenty. Those of the Amazon appear to average seven or 

 eight feet only ; of five or six specimens I have myself seen, 

 none have exceeded this ; Lieutenant Smyth saw one on the 

 Upper Uaycali, of the same size; and Condamine describes 

 the one he saw as not being larger. 



The inhabitants of the Amazon give accounts of three 

 kinds, which they seem to consider distinct, one smaller, and 

 one larger than the common kind, and differing also in the 

 shape of the tail and fins, and in the colour. 



The West Indian species is always described as having 

 external nails on the edge of the fin, or fore-arm. This I 

 never observed in the Amazon species ; though in cutting the 

 edge of the fin to take out the bones entire, I must have 

 noticed them, had they been as prominent as they are usually 

 described; neither does Lieutenant Smyth mention them, 

 though he could hardly have overlooked so singular an 

 external character. 



I am therefore inclined to think that the Amazon possesses 



