Mr. Barnes on the Doubtful Reptils. 69 



Amphiuma Tridactyla. Cuvier. 



Cuvier has lately described a new species of Amphiuma 

 which he calls Amphiuma tridactyla, from its having three 

 toes. It came from America. He repeates the remarks 

 made in this Journal vol. xi. p. 296, that others will probably 

 be discovered ; and the remark on p. 297, that, prejudice 

 apart, they are all good food. I confidently expect another 

 species of Siren, and the "long black water lizard' 1 '' of Lake 

 Champlain, mentioned in vol. xi. p. 287, of which I had as 

 good information as of the Proteus Maculatus in the Onion 

 River where, as above stated, it has since been caught. I 

 hope Professor Benedict and his learned associates will pur- 

 sue the search, and fully explore the interesting and produc- 

 tive regions bordering on the Lakes in their vicinity. 



Protonopsis Horrida. Barton. 



Concerning the " Menopoma' 1 '' I am convinced that the 

 name of Dr. Barton has, and of right ought to have the pre- 

 ference. He had the animal very finely figured, and first 

 made it known to our naturalists under the name of *" Proto- 

 nopsis horrida." By Protonopsis we understand an animal 

 like the Proteus. Whether the name is a good one or not, 

 we stop not to inquire, but simply remark that the two ani- 

 mals were generally confounded until Capt. Le Conte's pa- 

 per on the Siren striata, was published, in the Annals of the 

 New-York Lyceum of Natural History. For the suggestion 

 of this correction I am indebted to Professor Jacob Green of 

 Philadelphia. The error arose from the difficulty of obtain- 

 ing specific information from the papers of Barton, which 

 were published in a fugitive form, and have long been out of 

 print. This difficulty is now obviated by the direct and posi- 

 tive testimony of one of the most accurate naturalists of this 

 country. It is as above stated, and the animal must hereafter 

 be called Protonopsis Horrida, of Barton. 



Siren Lacertina. Linn'e, Garden. 



The question, concerning the respiration of the Siren, and 

 its congeners, is still agitated. Cuvier has expressed an 

 opinion that they have a double set of respiratory organs. 

 Professor J. A. Smith, of the Medical College in this city, is 

 of opinion that all the blood of the animal passes through the 



* See Vol. xi. page 278, of the Am. Journal of Science and Arts. 



