The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-09
THE AGAssIz EXPEDITION.

The Fishes Of the valley OF the As.sag ON
seven Hundred New Speci ~ Bls.
covered.
In the Rio de Janeiro Times, received on Wed
nesday by the steamer Htoand we find the follow.
ing interesting letter, written by the Brazilian
sdpant, Senior da Silva Coutinho, who accom-.
panies Professor Agassiz in his explorations. II
will be seen that Agassiz has found in the Valley
of the Amazon more than seven hundred new
species of tish-more than double the number he
expected to discever:-
"MANAos, November "a 1s65-The collection
that we made in the Tefe ano Is neghborhood was
magnificent Besides numerous species Professor
Agasslz discovered many new genera acquiring
knowledge, likewise OF some important laws to
which certain species are subject IN their develop
ment, ignorance OF which has caused mistakes In
classification.
"Achomburg, for example, established special
Characteristic the adpOrous protuberance found IN
the head Of some fishes of the genus Cychia, we,
the contrary, find that this is accidental We had
occasion TO examine the TVcuHare (tbe indigenous
nameJ without the prOtuberance with II beginning
to develop; and alter it had attained its growth
This curious Phenomenon takes place In the com
menoement OF winter The fishermen account for it
by saying that the fish, while entering the fgapo
strikes ITS head against the trees and therefore tho
inflammation appears. I ne true reason, however
is the critical state in which the 'TUcunare Is at the
beginning of winter, which Is when II spawns.
Through the pToiusion OF some genera of the
family OF ChTo1lids, permitting the comparative
study OF the young and the adults the Professor
was enabled to lay down the following law-that
the same species presents different radicals according
to age - oo... o. 49,. e.,,.....,. A.. ~.
fessor foUnd, likewise, only two bones in the oper
cular apparatus, where all tho species previously
known had three. lie verified again the principle
established BY him many years ago ON the resem-
bance of adult and young individuals of different
genera ei tae same D. iaLH =, e. a.. new genus was
which he called LYmnobelona, and which dis
tinguished from the others by having the dorsal and
anal fins greater, and the caudal rounded. As in
the genus BetOnd, the maXlllars are equal.
"Some time afterwards we caught a young one ofthe
new genus, having the lower maxillar much greater
than the upper one and this point of view some.
what resembling the other genus of the same family,
the HemirdBsphuS BrGzhensis, Iphabiting the sea,
and found ON almost all the coast of Brazil
AT Manaos we collected one hundred and fifty
more species almost all in the Lake Hyanuary, oppo-
"To cav there arrived in the Icamiaba a fine col
lection brought by the two parties sent to Lakes Ma.
nacapura and CldaYas. In two bottles alone, the
Professor found sxty-eight species, and hope TO
find greater NUMBER in the eight barrels not yet
1.-THE collection made up to now consists of nne
hundred and seventy species, Of which more than
seven hundred are new lmaglne the surprise and
result, who, when entering the Amazonas, consi-
dered himself fortunate should he find two hundred
'The results that we obtained at the arst points
made us believe that the great river possessed many
distinct faune of the ichthyoOgica prOVInses; how
ever, when at our two last we explored sOme
igdrdpes (smaller rlvers and lakes dlstantrom one
another not more than twelve hundred yards we
saw then that the number was extraordinary. The
COLLECTION of SO great number of species in a few
places, and during only three months surprises the
more when we reflect that in 1S40 Captain Wilkes
collected only six hundred in voyage round the
globe, with three ships, and lasting four years.
Fifteen new genera have been established by the
Professor, embracing the fishes that live by prefer
ence in the garapes. The Professor thinks Of sepa
rating two of these genera into families, in conse
quence Of their general character. Soue be oneinu
to the Gobisides and others 10 Cyprnodentes Those
Fishes are known by the name OF Ar'9rs and are
at the place Taypuru. This circumstance makes III
believe that the Aasores determine, approximately
the point to which the waters of the reach IL
"The most interesting genus, however, in tn,
opinion OF the Professor Is one discovered by II
Lake Hyanuary, opposite this city. IL came, SO K
say to strengthen the union of the family. SERVING
Jacundas tCrenicvckial and divers Acards tSateno
The fTofessor had an opportunity of studying
the complete development OF the eggs, observing the
newly-born the branchial pOuch up to their STATE
of swimming freely in the spccles to which he gave
the name OF the Emperor, GeophdgUs PedroinuS
and Of which he made complete study.
'The confguratoa of the head is very curious il
those species that the eggs in the branoha
pouch. They have nervous protu6erance, resembin'
The electric lObule of the MGLoporurHS, IN the par
ha opssd hs5ss TO he feTIor ~ brap
chial arch, forming, evidently, such q centre o
special action as shown in the Marsupial pouch
For this reason the Protuberance well merits tn
name of 'genetic iobuLe.'
''AbOut thirty years ago the family of the Croaid
was established, almost at the same time by Hechke
ana Mu Ter, with SEINE genera the Labroids ant
Suenrides OF Cuvier. The number OF Its species wa
then very limited In the British Museum cataIogu
published in 1862, which gives the last and mos
complete enumeration of this family, the number o
its Species all the world, is one hundred and ten
distributed in nineteen genera. 0fthese species on
twelve belonged to the Amazon. Now, however, W
have here one hundred and twenty species, almoS
all new, that Is, greater number than were know
in 1862 IN ali points of the globe.
'In the next fortnight we purpose setting out 70
Names, and thence for Para"
THE LATE COLONEL BOWERS.