'.'B8 REPTILIA. 



foi-ind in aliundanne at tbat period about tlie roots of rushes, &c., in the vicinity of ponds ; ^vhence it is not true 

 tiiat (liey quit in consequence of tlie water beinq- dried up, as has been su2:gcsted]. 



The experiments of Spallanzani, on the extraordinary power ivhich these animals have of reproducing^ their 

 parts, have rendered them celebrated. They renew, many times successively, the same member after it had 

 been severed ; and this with all its bones, muscles, vessels, &c. Another faculty, not less singular, consists (as 

 shown by Dufoy) in their recovering: after having- been long fiozeii up in ice. Their e;^^s are fecundated by tluid 

 dispei'sed in the watery medium, which penetrates with the water into their oviducts. They lay long chaplets of 

 eggs, and the young appear fifteen days from the deposition of them, retaining their gills for a longer or shorter 

 period according to the species. Modern observers have distinguished several European species, the males of 

 which develope high membranous dorsal crests very early in the spring, [which are absorbed, and the remnants 

 cast off, ere they leave the water at the end of summer. One, "ilh a smooth olive-coloured skin like a Frog 

 (T. ^unc^'a^u^), and handsomely spotted with black, is common in stagnant waters throughout Britain ; ami two 

 others {T. pahistris and T. marnioratus), with a granulated skin like a Toad, and also spotted upon a much darker 

 giTiund, and punctated with white, are — the first at least — equally so. All have the under parts bright orange 

 culour. Those with granulated skins resemble the Toads in the capability of remaining without food for a most 

 extraordinary period, in a state of imprisonment, having been found occasionally in closed cavities, where they 

 must have remained for many years.] 



The skeleton of an aniniaJ of this genus has been found among the schists of CEningen, which is three feet in 

 length. It is the pretended fossil man of Scheuchzer. 



In tlie suite of tlic Salamanders should range several very similar animals, some of which are reputed 

 never to have gills, \^llile others, on the contrary, retain them pcrmaiii_-nt]y, iiutwirhistanding which they 

 liave the same hmgs as the other Batraehians, being thus the only vcrtcbratcd aiiiiiials lliat are truly 

 amphibious. 



The former of these, which liave never been seen with gills, fall under two genera. 



The ]\Ien"opoma, Harlan. 



Form altogetlier that of a Salamamler, the eyes ai^iarent, fi;ct well developrd, and an orifice on each 

 siue of the ueek. IJesidcs a range of hue teeth surrounding the jaws, they have a ]iarallel range before 

 the palate. The known species, fifteen to eighteen inches in length, inhabits North America, where it 

 is termed IlcU-bender. 



The Amphiuma, Garden, — 

 lias also an orillee on each side of the neck, hut the body is excessively elongated; the limhs and feet, 

 on the contrary, but little developed; and the palatal teeth form two longitudinal ranges. Likewise 

 from North America. 



Among those which permanently rclain their gills, 



T[[K AXOLOTLS, — 



Altogetlier rescnd)lc the ta<li)nle of a SahiUKUider. They have velvety tecUi to both jaws, and two 

 hiuids of the same upnn the palate. From Mexico. 



TiiE MENonRAis'ciius, Harlan, — 

 lias hut four toes to each foot; a range of teeth on the intcruiaxillarics, and another parallel but more 

 exlendcd range, on the niaxillaries. 



The Proteus, Lani*enti. 



Three toes Itcfore, and only two behind; the muzzle lengthened and depressed; both jaws furnished 

 with teeth; tongue hut slighliy moveable, and free anteriorly; eyes excessively small, and couched be- 

 neath the skin, as in tiie mammifernus genus S^ialar ; ear covered by the flesh, as in the Salamanders; 

 and skin smooth ami whitish. The skiletun rcicmbies that of the Salamander, except that it lias many 

 more vertebra;, and fewer rudiments of ribs ; hut the general conformation of the skull is very different. 

 Inhabits the subterranean waters, with which certain lakes in Carniola eonimunieate. 



The Syrens (Si/ren, Lin.) — 

 Are elongated animals, having nearly Ihe form of l::rls, anil three hranehial crests; no hind feet, nnr 

 even vestige of pelvis ; head llat'ened ; mouth not deeply cleft ; mu/zle ohtu.t.c ; eye very ^mall ; ear 

 concealed ; lower jaw armed with teeth all round, but none in the upper; and two raised scries on each 

 side of the palate. 



One species {S. U'c-rlhui, Lin.) attains a length of three feet. Others are smaller, with the branchial crests less 

 develo|ied, and coniiiu-c the Pi^vmlubraHchus of tJrav. 



