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Manawatu Herald, 25 October 1889, Page 4

Ihe tank in the Bejti'o House, at the Zoological Gairlous, : London which "was until lately inhabited by the manatee, is iunv*'d<sou'pl'ed "by. a number of examples of the African muclH.sh (pro.tpptprpu.<o. . These cvontuvos are'6f greatTuiTOTf'st. to the zoo o»ist , because they are an cxeelle it instance of v link bindingtotwo great groupg'of. tile atP imal kingdom. To* the -canal ob- ; orvev tliey are nothing; but fishes, but theresemblanceito.a fish realh-.-ouds with;tie esteinal'.characters-l ihoKRaW and fins: the internal structure is la gely that of a newt 01 salnniaudev. 'ihey are in fcicfc amphibia with, jt sup 3r^ial l ooafiaij of • lish Tho term amphibia as used i zoology does neoossari y imply an animal that is fitted for Tii*«««tiiiii<£ both in air i:d in waicr, a!t!:ou<vh many mumbi.r.> oi lint, ucou;) ;;re (• ins! riict «7d in' lliuT oid. jjiil the uiudfisli is i^urpli'rhi'Uis >n a very vu-, uiavkublc (ieg;j.'i>. Jt .inhabits rivers which are !iii bli; tn be d:icd up a oercain seasons o. the ye.tr; whem a (ivjug'ht is nnii:ene;iL tii« 'f>*Ui surrounds tse f*\<*i h a m ;ss of nnul in which a sm.lla;;ertiir.;i.s oi'fc. I: this slate it breathes air directly In moans of a 1-iug, .and cau^t)^ Viit'eh transported in its 'tcinp lra'-y ('.^vli' I ing-jiJ^o.pvwip.js far .a?-.* to this countiy. A\'noii'' the rainy season | S! U in and the river is again filled, tie Proptopterus is liberated and sv imwto^&vit k»««fching byiineftnsof i s gills.