PERENNIBRANCHIATA. 



369 



live either in or out of the water. Its fore-feet resemble hands ; but 

 they have only three fingers, and are too feeble to be of any use in 



FIG. 299. PROTEUS. 



supporting the weight of the animal, while the hinder feet have only 

 two claws or toes." 



The Mud Eel (Siren lacertina) almost exactly resembles an Eel 



FlG. 300. SKELETON OF SIREJf. 



in its general shape ; but, instead of fins, has legs. These, however, 

 are only two in number, representing the anterior pair ; they are 

 very short and feeble, and of little service in progression, either 

 when in the water or on land ; they are terminated by four toes. 

 These animals, as the English name indicates, live chiefly in mud, and 

 are abundant in the rice-fields of Carolina, where, when the ditches 



B 3 



