350 Mr Neill on the Habits of'a 



haps a week or ten days. At this time it swallowed its food 

 very slowly and gradually, sometimes allowing one-half of the 

 worm to continue wriggling about its nose for some minutes, 

 while the other half was in its mouth and gullet. On one occa- 

 sion, some small bansticklcs were put into the box alive : after 

 a day or two, th^ largest of these was found floating dead, with 

 a considerable piece apparently bitten from its side, the wound 

 being nearly equal to the width of the siren's jaws. Although 

 the siren was not actually observed to attack the banstickle, 

 there can be htde doubt that he had seized it, and taken the 

 piece from its side ; more especially since Dr Garden mentions 

 that, on one occasion, a siren was " caught by a hook baited with 

 a small fish." The smaller bansticklcs were never more seen ; 

 and two or three of the larvae of the Lacerta aquatica, which 

 were placed in the box soon afterwards, likewise disappeared. 



For the first year and a half, the box was kept in a green- 

 house, adapted for keeping Cape of Good Hope and New 

 Holland plants, or where it is merely desired to exclude the frost 

 of our winter. In this situation, the siren declined eating from 

 a1>out the middle of October till the beginning of May ; and for 

 the six intervening cold months he remained exceedingly slug- 

 gish, seldom changing his place, except when roughly touched. 



It may liere be remarked, that the tail seems to be the most 

 sensitive part of this animal. I have often gently stroked the 

 back, near the head, with my fingers, without disturbing him in 

 the least ; but the moment the tail was touched, some air-bubbles 

 were thrown up, and he moved slowly away. 



In April 18^7, the box was placed in a hot-house, intended for 

 the culture of tropical plants, where the temperature is kept up 

 so as to range from iiO" to 80° F., and may be stated as general- 

 ly about 65". Here the animal became more lively. He soon 

 began to croak like a frog, uttering a single cry at a time, and 

 without any change of note. He continued thus to call for 

 some weeks ; and, considering the time of the year, it seems pro- 

 bable that this was the call of love. During this summer he ate 

 two, three, or even four, small earth-worms at a meal, devour- 

 ing them much more quickly than formerly. It was now ob- 

 served, that after the siren got his eye on the worm, he approach- 

 ed very cautiously, remained motionless for a moment, as if 



