41S CLASS REPTILIA. 



From eight to ten inches long ; grey, spotted with 

 black. It inhabits the lake which surrounds 

 Mexico.* 



The Menobranchus of Harlan, or Necturus of 

 Rafinesque, 



Have but four toes on all the feet. There is one 

 range of teeth in their intermaxillaries, and another 

 parallel but more extended, in their maxillaries. 



The species most known (Menobranchus Lateralis 

 Hark, Triton Lateralis, Say, Ann. of the Lye, New 

 York I. pi. 16,) inhabits the great lakes of North 

 America, and grows very large, attaining, as is 

 said, to the size of three feet. It was first brought 

 from Lake Champlain. 



The Proteus, Proteus, Laur., Hypochton, Merr., 



Have only three toes before and two behind. 



Hitherto but a single species has been known, 

 {Proteus Anguinus, Laur. pi. iv. f. 4. Daud. VIII. 

 xcix. 1. Siren Anguina, Schn.) an animal more than 

 a foot long, as thick as one's finger, with the tail 

 compressed vertically, and four small limbs. Its 

 muzzle is elongated and depressed. Its two jaws 

 furnished with teeth. Its tongue but little mobile, 

 and free in front. Its eye is excessively small, and 

 concealed by the skin, as in the rat-mole. Its ear 



* It is with some doubt that I place the Axolotl among the genera with 

 permanent gills; but so many eye-witnesses assure us that it does not 

 lose them, that I am obliged to do so. 



