of the Proteus J ng'umus. 5 



a skilful anatomist, and not less estimable for his leaining than 

 for the suavity of his manners. There is reason to believe, 

 that, when at their full growth, they reach to 14 inches or 

 even more. That described by Schreibers in 1801 was 13 

 inches in length. With regard to age, there is reason to think 

 they are pretty long lived ; for the Archduke John of Austria, 

 a zealous cultivator and liberal patron of natural science, kept, 

 in a subterranean grotto, constructed for the purpose, several of 

 these animals, one of which lived eight years, and acquired a 

 size greater than ordinary. 



When viewed alive, and in water, the body of the proteus 

 appears at first of a cylindrical form, but when more attentively 

 surveyed, it is seen to be somewhat flattened on the sides, espe- 

 cially towards the tail, which, beyond the lower limbs, is redu- 

 ced at length to the shape of a spatula. The back and head 

 of the animal are of a whitish-red colour, which, on the sides 

 and tail, inclines to violet. The belly, on the contrary, is 

 white, though even there, in the region of the liver, it has a 

 bluish cast, like that of the human veins, seen through a very 

 fine and delicate skin. An illustrious writer, Avho had observ- 

 ed a proteus only after having been kept in spirits, has describ- 

 ed the skin as very opaque ; but we, say the authors, who have 

 seen many protei alive, can with confidence affirm, that so far 

 from being opaque, the skin of these animals is, almost beyond 

 belief, transparent, — to such a degree, indeed, that the colours 

 or tints, as painters express it, are so very diaphanous, that, to 

 represent it by words, is quite impossible, and by the pencil 

 sufficiently difficult. Those unacquainted with painting may 

 doubt our assertion, but those the least instructed in that art, 

 and who know by experience how difficult it is to imitate a 

 diaphanous tint, will remain gainfully convinced of this, when 

 told that the diaphanity of the tints of the Proteus Angmnus 

 (be the human skin as white, morbid, and subtile as you please) 

 exceeds by far that of the colours of the human body. But 

 the flesh-colour of this animal in course of time changes ; and 

 this happens more or less quickly, according as he is more or 

 less exposed to the light. From whitish-red the skin' passes by 



• The authors employ the old French measures. 



