Pelvic Filanients of Lepidosiren

Abstract

DR. CUNNINGHAM and Mr. REID¹ were naturally concerned that Mr. Foxon² should dismiss their theory while omitting half of the evidence on which it was based. The function of the pelvic limb filaments of the breeding male Lepidosiren as a source of oxygen for the developing embryos is, of course, probable only if the supply of oxygen from the water in the nest is actually insufficient. That this was the case appeared probable from the work of Carter and Beadle³ on the Chaco swamps, where the Winkler method for oxygen estimation was employed. Mr. Foxon¹ replies that my work on swamps in East Africa⁴ has thrown some doubt on this point, and that the figures for oxygen in the waters investigated may be subject to an error of anything up to 1.0 c.c. per litre.