234 NECTURUS SIREN, OR MUD EEL. 



which have hidden themselves away, often three feet below the 

 surface — in the Southern States. On examination, however, 

 they will be found to have legs, though small and feeble, with 

 only two toes on each foot. They are of a blackish-gTay above, 

 and a lighter hue beneath. 



Another species of congo snake is found with three toes, — 

 hence the name of three-toed congo snake is given to it. 



THE NECTURUS. 



Related to the curious eyeless proteus, found in the cele- 

 brated cavern of Adelsberg, is an animal very much larger, 

 called the^necturus, inhabiting the waters of the Mississippi, 

 and several southern lakes. It is a creature nearly three feet 

 in length, with a thick body, and, being designed to live in 

 daylight, possesses eyes. It is between a fish and a reptile, 

 as it is furnished with large, well-tufted gills ; and, at the same 

 time, has four legs, and four toes on each foot, though it is 

 destitute of claws. 



It is of an olive-brown colour dot<jed with black, and a 

 black streak reaching from one end of the l^ody to the termina- 

 tion of the somewhat thick, short tail. 



THE SIREX, OR MUD EEL. 



Another curious batrachian, the mud eel, is found in Caro- 

 lina, in marshy situations. Its total length is about three 

 feet. The head is small, as is the eye, while on each side of it 

 are three beautifully plumed gill-tufts. It has no hind-legs ; 

 while the front pair are very small, and do not aid it in moving 

 along the ground. This it does in the wriggling fashion of 

 an eel ; indeed, when discovered in the soft mud in which 

 it delights to live, the creature, at the first glance, would be 



