184 
THE CARAMURU. 
of the head are, however, of a firmer character, as is needful for the management of the sharp 
and powerful teeth ; and in the skull of the above-mentioned specimen, the green tint still 
lingers on several of the bones. 
The teeth are most remarkable, looking as if they were made from a ribbon of enamel- 
covered bone, plaited in a series of very deep undulations in front, and sweeping off at each 
side with a bold curve. Those of the palate and lower jaw are so made that they lock into each 
other, the folds exactly corresponding, and fitting into each other with such exactness, that no 
creature when seized could hope to escape without much detriment. The edges of this con- 
tinuous tooth-ribbon, if I may so call it, are very sharp, and armed with small saw-like teeth, 
rather worn away in front, but very perceptible on the sides. In the very front of the upper 
jaw are two little pointed teeth, set apparently loosely in the soft parts of the nose, and quite 
useless for biting. When, however, the skull is removed from the body, and cleared of muscle 
and other soft parts, these teeth retain their place, and by the hardening of their attachments 
become tightly fixed in the skull. 
During life the points of these teeth project very slightly through those two little holes 
just inside the upper lip, which are considered as the internal nostrils. While the creature is 
alive, the teeth cannot be seen even when the mouth is open, being covered by a very soft and 
yielding substance, through which they seem to cut when in use. 
The external aspect of this creature is very singular, the chief characteristics being its 
eel -like form, and the four long slender projections which stand in the place of limbs, and are 
analogous to similar structures in certain reptiles already described and figured. These are 
not true limbs, and the cartilaginous ray by which they are supported has no joint. They are 
quite soft and flexible, as if they were made of leather, and are of very trifling use in locomo- 
tion. The two fore-limbs are set at the shoulders, just behind the head, and widely separated 
from each other, while the hinder pair are quite close together at their bases. In the species 
just described, two short tubercular appendages, about an inch in length, accompany the larger 
limb-like projections, and, except in dimensions, bear a close resemblance to those organs. I 
may take this opportunity of remarking that the creature is not known to leave the water and 
to crawl on land. 
Another specimen has not attained to any great size, being scarcely half as large as the 
individual just described, though it has lived in captivity for three years. The tank in which 
it resided was small, and may have probably accounted for the slight increase in dimensions. 
It Avas interesting to watch this creature move about its prison, as the peculiar screw-like 
or spiral moA r ement of the limbs was well exhibited. The whole body was covered 
with rather large scales, embedded deeply in the skin, and not easily to be seen in living 
specimens. 
The name of Lepidosiren, or Scaly Siren, is given to this creature on account of its scaly 
covering. At about one-third of the distance from the head to the tip of the tail a rather 
narrow and fin-like membrane arises, which runs completely round the tail until it is termi- 
nated close to the bases of the hind pair of limbs. It is strengthened throughout by a serier 
of soft jointed rays. 
The flesh of the Lepidosiren is very soft and white, and is thought to be excellent for the 
table, so that in its native country it is dug up from its muddy bed and used for food. It 
usually burrows to a depth of eighteen inches. This creature possesses both lungs and gills, 
the latter organs being twofold, the external gills being tufted on the under side, and the 
internal gills being placed on the edge of the divisions between the gill openings on the side of 
the neck. The heart is more reptilian than piscine, having three compartments, two auricles 
and one ventricle, and affords one of the strongest reasons for ranking the creature among the 
former class. 
There are several species of Lepidosiren, divided into two genera, distinguished from each 
other by the number of ribs. The species which is found in Southern America, and is there 
known under the popular name of Caramttrtt ( Lepidosiren pciradoxa ), has fifty-five pairs of 
ribs, whereas the African species has only thirty-six pairs. The color of the Lepidosiren 
is darkish brown with a Avash of gray. 
