Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-03-13
QDblo Statesman,
THE AGAssIz EXPEDITION.
The Fishes of the valley of the Anna
Znn-SeHen Hundred New Specie

Ihe EtSneS OF inc NhIley u enO AA"~-
zOn-Seven Hundred New Species
Discovered.
In the Rio de Janeiro Times, received to-
day by the steamer Havana, we find the
following interesting letter, written by the
Brazilian SdUdnt SENIOR daSllVa Coutlnn0,
who accompanies Professor Agassiz in his
explorations. 1t will be seen that Agassiz
has found in the Valley of the Amazon
more than seven hundred new species OF
fsh-more than double the number he ex-
pected to discover: ..
MANAos, Nov. "a, 1865.
- The collection that we made in
the Teffe and its neighborhood, was mag
nifcent. Besides numerous species, Pro-
! fessOr A gassiz discovered many new genera,
acquiring knowledge, likewise, of some
| important laws to which certain species are
subject in their development, ignorance of
which has caused mistakes in classification.
| Achomburg for example, established as a
| special characteristic the adporus protuber-
ance found in the head of some fishes Of the
genus Cycllla; we, on the contrary, find that
| this is accidental. We had occasion to eX-
anime the Tucundre (the indigenous name),
without the protuberance; with it begin
ming to develOp; and after it had attained its
growth. This curious phenomenon takes
| place in the commencement of winter
| The fishermen account for 1t by saying that
| the fish, while entering the "igapo" strikes
| its head against the trees, and therefore the
Inflammation appears. The true reason,
however, is the critical state in which the
"Tucunare" is at the beginning of winter,
which is when it spawns.
Through the prOfusion of some genera Of
the family of OlromidS, permitting the COM
cf Luz ~ fhf. un az
| the Professor was enabled to lay down the
| following law-that the same species pre-
sen's different radicals according to age.
In some new species of the Sel,TOtdS the
| Professor found, likewise, only two bones
| in the opercular apparatus, whereas all the
species previously known had three. He
| verified again the principle established by
| him many years ago on the resemblance of
adult and young individuals of different
genera of the same family. new genus
was found, belonging to the family of the
| ScOmberosoces which he called Lymnobe-
Iona, and which was distinguished from the
others by having the dorsal and anal fins
greater, and the caudal rounded. AS in the
genus Benlod the maXillars are equal.
Some time afterwards we caught a young
one of the new genus, having the lower
maxillar much greater than the upper one,
| u,
sembling the other genus of the same fam
ily, the Hen.iramphus Brdziliensis, inhabit-
ing the sea, and found on almost all the coast
OF Brazil.
| At Manaos we collected one hundred and
fity more species, almost all in the lake
| Hyanuary, opposite the city.
To-day there arrived in the "lcamiaba" a
| fine collection brought by the two parties
sent to lakes Manacapuru and Cudayas. In
two bottles alone, the Professor found sixty
eight species, and we hope to find great
er number in the eight barrels not yet open
ed.
The collection made up to now consists OF
nine hundred and serenity species, of toi,ich more
than SeUen hundred are Relo. Imagine the
surprise and pleasure OF Prof. Agsssiz in
view of so great result, who, when enter
ing the AmaZonas, considered himself for
tunate should he tind two hundred and fifty
speries.
The results that we obtained at the first
points made us believe that the great river
possessed many distinct faune of the ich-
theological provinces; however, when al
our two last we explored some igdrdpeS
SMALLER rivers) and lakes, distant from one
| another not more than twelve hundred
yards, we saw then that the number was
extraordinary. The collection of so great
a number of sne les in a few nlaces' and
dnring only three months. surnrises the
more when we reflect that in 1Sl0 Iantajr
WiIkes coliected only siv hundredi in a vov.
oga round the globe with three shins a NJ
LASTING tonr wears. P'' ''"'
Fifteen new genera have now been estah.
lished hv .he pTofessor. embracinU the fishe.
thor live hv nretcrence In the igaranes IN
Professor thinks of senaratinG q two IF tbas,
aanara into families in conSennence of thoi,
General OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES felonging m RI,
GobieiJes and others to OnrinodeSte, Tbosf
fsTsS are. known nv tisl namn ot 1n,oro
and are Iound only at the west mart of th.
island of Maraio' at the nlace Tsvnnrn
This circumstance makes ms believe that th.
A,nores determine, ,annroximatelv. tbe min
to which the waters IF the OCEAN reorh IL
the Amazonas.
The most interesting oenus. bowever ir
the oninion Of the Professor, is one discov.
cred hv us In Lake Hvannarv. onnos;te thi,
citv. r. came. so IN saw. to strengthen th,
nnion of the family. serving ne intermedi.
ate between others rather senaratad a,
those Of the .Iocvnd0s iCyenjcvcbIoI and III,
vers Acnris fSotenoneyod U,oyooonosI = =
The Professor lad an 9nnOrtunitv n
stndvipo the comnlrte deveInnment ~ th,
eTvs' observing the newlvsborn in th,
hrencbiaI oonch nm IN their state of swim,
ming freely. in the species 70 which he cav,
the name Of the E,nneror, Georb0m,e PED
roinus. and of which he made a comnlet,
SOTSy' IVY eorrot;or os ,hohood :,
rious in these species that nreserve th,
eggs in the branchial pouch, They have :
nervous protuberance. resembling The elac.