VOL. LVI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 323 



nued along from the feet to the tail. The fin of the tail has no rays, and is no 

 more than an adipose membrane like that of the eel ; this fin appears more dis- 

 tinctly in the dry animal than in those that have been preserved in spirits. 



The opercula or coverings to the gills in dry specimens appear shrivelled up, but 

 yet we may plainly see they have been doubly pennated. Under these coverings, 

 are the openings to the gills, 3 on each side, agreeable to the number of the 

 opercula. The form of these pennated coverings approach very near to what 

 he had before observed, in the larva or aquatic state of our English lacerta, 

 known by the name of eft or newt, which serve them for coverings to their gills, 

 and for fins to swim with during this state ; and which they lose, as well as the 

 fin of their tails, when they change their state and become land animals. 



Recollecting these observations on the changes of our lizard, and at the same 

 time the many remarkable changes in frogs, Mr. E. began to suspect whether this 

 animal might not be the larva state of some large kind of lizard ; and therefore 

 requested the favour of Dr. Solander, to examine with him the lacertas in the 

 British Museum ; that they might see whether any of the young ones had only 

 1 feet ; but, after carefully going through many kinds, they could plainly dis- 

 cover 4 feet perfectly formed, even in those that were just coming out of their 

 eggs. During this state of uncertainty, Mr. E. forwarded to Dr. Linnaeus of 

 Upsal, at Dr. Garden's request, his account of the largest specimen, and, at the 

 same time, sent him one of the smaller specimens preserved in spirits ; desiring 

 his opinion, for Dr. Garden's, as well as his own satisfaction. About the latter 

 end of January last, he was favoured with an answer from the professor, dated 

 Upsal, Dec. 27, 1765, wherein he says, " I received Dr. Garden's very rare 

 two-footed animal with gills and lungs. The animal is probably the larva of some 

 kind of lacerta, which I very much desire that he will particularly enquire into. 

 If it does not undergo a change, it belongs to the order of Nantes, which have 

 both lungs and gills ; and if so, it must be a new and very distinct genus, and 

 should most properly have the name of Siren. I cannot possibly describe to you 

 how much this two-footed animal has exercised my thoughts ; if it is a larva, he 

 will no doubt find some of them with 4 feet. It is not an easy matter to recon- 

 cile it to the larva of the lizard tribe, its fingers being furnished with claws ; all 

 the larvas of lizards, that I know, are without them. Then also the branchiae 

 or gills are not to be met with in the aquatic salamanders, which are probably the 

 larvas of lizards. Further, the croaking noise or sound it makes does not agree 

 with the larvas of these animals ; nor does the situation of the anus. So that 

 there is no creature that ever I saw, that I long so much to be convinced of the 

 truth, as what this will certainly turn out to be." 



P. S. In a letter lately received from Dr. Garden, he mentions one remark- 

 able property in this animal, which is, that his servant endeavouring to kill one 



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