TO THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, LONDON 8S 
fishy smell is discernible, operations are commenced. A small 
boy is supposed to have a keener scent, as the stick is handed 
to him for his opinion. 
‘ Should it be supposed that a fish is in residence, the 
papyrus is cleared and a hole dug. 
‘ On approaching the fish (usually from 2 to 8 feet deep) 
it “ barks ” — that is to say, it gives a short, sharp, expressive 
grunt, and will snap viciously at any object near it. 
‘ The fish lies in a curled-up position, with the head and 
tail together — the head points upwards, and the broad tail 
covers the mouth. The bend of the body is below. 
‘ The chamber where the fish lies is smooth, and internally 
lined with mucus, and fairly hard. It does not contain any 
water at all (only perhaps one or two teaspoonfuls of mixed 
mucus and water) ; but in the specimen recorded the earth 
was dry and powdery round the pocket. On the fish being 
removed (after making snaps at the remover) it was placed 
in a bucket of water, and on two occasions bit at an 
incautiously approached finger which was near the surface of 
the water. 
‘ An interesting point was observed, in that the fish, after 
taking earth into its mouth, disgorged the same in a large 
soft pellet. 
‘ The fish is now in custody, and it is hoped to take it to 
the Zoological Gardens, London.’ 
This Mr. Woodhouse happily accomplished, and an account 
of its arrival at the 4 Gardens ’ (reprinted from the Morning 
Post of March 8, 1918) is reproduced below : — 
A New Lung-Fish 
‘ On Saturday Mr. Boulenger, the Curator of Reptiles, 
received a most interesting living specimen of a species of 
African lung-fish. The smaller species of the West Coast, 
Protopterus annectens, is well known, having frequently been 
brought to this country in the cocoons of mud in which it 
passes the dry season ; in fact, a living specimen about 9 inches 
long is now to be seen in a tank in the Tortoise House. 
But the new specimen is about 2 feet in length, and belongs 
to the species Proto'ptems cethiojpicus , which inhabits the Upper 
