Xoiice of the Ukpam. 



(35 



Umon, which are about 150 miles from the bar, and where, 

 although the river still rises and falls with the tide, from there 

 being always a strong downward current, the water is perfectly 

 fresh, and never even brackish. The two young specimens 

 now on the table were sent home some time since by Mi- 

 Archibald Hewan, surgeon to the Old Calabar Mission of the 

 United Presbyterian Church, to the members of which mission 

 the Society has been again and again indebted for various 

 interesting additions to the knowledge of the zoology of 

 Western Africa. The natives have a curious theory that 

 these young fish, somewhat after the manner of the young of 

 the marsupial animals, take shelter in the maternal organs, 

 which they leave or enter at pleasure, until they are old enough 

 and strong enough to take care of their personal safety. Mr 

 Hewan, however, says that one of the natives, who prides him- 

 self on his skill in capturing this rather formidable creature, 

 denies this statement altogether ; so that, probably the pain 

 of being struck through with a spear at its capture, causing in 

 some instances the expulsion of the nearly mature young, may 

 have given rise to this idea (should it turn out to be false) ; 

 which, however, is generally believed among the natives. Mr 

 Hewan has promised to give some attention to the subject, so 

 that we may hope to be favoured with more information before 

 long. 



The specimens exhibited, Mr Hewan says, are very young. 

 He was asked to go down to the river side, where a native had 

 in his canoe a large male and female Ukpamhe had just cap- 

 tured. These fishes measured about 4 feet across ; and while 

 Mr Hewan was standing near the canoe, " the native was 

 searching the body of the female, because he did not see the 

 young ones (the specimens now exhibited) in the canoe 

 where he had left them. He had not searched the canoe 

 thoroughly, and so, not finding them in the oviduct, he re- 

 peated his search in the canoe, and there they were lying, 

 His searching the body was strong presumptive evidence that 

 he had found them there before ; but that they returned there 

 seems only a theory, unless the native's word be taken." Mr 

 Hewan states these fish were alive and active when he got 

 them ; and, as far as we can judge by their appearance, they 



VOL. II, i 



