180 SLOW WORM, SIRES. 



THE COMMON SLOW-WORM 



Is found in all parts of Europe, in similar situations with 

 the common snake ; it is quite harmless, and lives on 

 worms and insects. Its length is about ten or twelve 

 inches; its colour is a pale rufous brown above, three 

 narrow streaks of a darker colour are continued down the 

 back ; its under parts are of a deep lead colour. The 

 head is rather small, and covered in front with large 

 plates; the tail measures more than half the whole 

 length of the animal, and ends rather suddenly in a 

 pointed tip. The slow-worm is viviparous, producing very 

 many at a time. It passes the winter in a torpid state. It 

 is remarkable for its brittleness, breaking off abruptly 

 when struck hard. There are several species in different 

 parts of the world. 



THE ASTERIAS RETICULATA 



Often measures a foot in diameter. It is of a yellowish 

 red colour, and thickly tuberculated on the upper surface ; 

 furnished on the margin of the rays with curiously jointed 

 processes, and every where marked with slightly elevated, 

 triangular, reticulations. It is a native of the Indian seas. 



THE ASTERIAS CAPUT MEDUSA, 



Or Medusa's head star-fish, is the most curious of the 

 tribe. It grows to a large size, measuring more than two 

 feet in diameter ; its body is divided into five equal jointed 

 processes ; these are each sub-divided into two, and so on, 

 again and again, till the number amounts to thousands ; 

 the whole forms a natural net, in which the animal 

 entangles ita prey. 



THE SIREN. 



This animal was discovered by Dr. Garden in Carolina, 

 and Linnaeus considers it so extraordinary, that he estab- 



