NOTE-BOOK OF A NATURALIST. 101 



was daily supplied — and small fisli. It was very eel-like 

 in its motions, though blessed with two small anterior 

 extremities; but as you may wish to know something 

 about the animal, curious reader, here is a description of 

 it, which those who are not inquisitive may skip if they 

 please. 



The generic character of the sirens consists in an 

 elongated form, nearly similar to that of the eels. There 

 are three external branchial or gill tufts on each side. 

 No posterior feet, but two anterior small ones. Not a 

 vestige of a pelvis. The head depressed ; the gape of the 

 mouth moderate ; the muzzle obtuse ; the eye very little ; 

 the ear concealed ; the lower jaw sheathed with a horny 

 substance, and armed with several rows of small teeth; 

 the upper jaw toothless; on the palate numerous small 

 retroverted denticles. 



Such is the reptile of which Dr. Garden, in the years 

 1765, 1766, sent a description to Ellis and Linnaeus, 

 when the immortal Swede established an additional 

 order for the siren in his class AQn2Mhia — the order 

 Meantes. Such is an outline of the creature which 

 Cuvier pronounced to be one of the most remarkable of 

 the class of reptiles, nay, of the whole animal kingdom ; 

 a bold declaration, but borne out by the anomalies of its 

 structure, its relationship to different families, and its 

 approximation even to different classes. 



Thus, Pallas, Hermann, Schneider, and Lacepede, 

 classed it as the larva of a great unknown salamander. 

 Camper placed it among the fishes. He was followed by 

 Gmelin, who made an eel of it, conferring on it the name 

 of Murcena siren; and 'tis almost a pity that the last- 

 named worthy doctor was dead wrong in making it a 

 Murcena : it would have been so everlasting classical for 

 that enlightened Republican, brother Jonathan, who 

 loves to copy the Romans, to have thrown his slaves to 

 the Murcence. But he may still be imitative, and throw 



