96 



CLASSIFICATIOX OF AMPHIBIANS. 



tail is natatorial^ or vertically compressed. Besides the 

 internal lungs, it has three gills on each side the head^ 

 of a coral-red colour, formed like tufts of filaments. It 

 has no teeth; and the eyes, which are excessively small, 

 are concealed by teguments ; the ear, also, is covered, 

 and the skin is smooth, cream-coloured, and viscid. It 

 was supposed, for a long time, that this curious reptile 

 was only found in a particular lake in Carniola ; and 

 that it was the larva or tadpole of some reptile, which, 

 in its adult state, had not yet been described. Repeated 

 investigations, however, have proved the fallacy of both 

 these opinions. The Proteus has been found in other 

 parts of Germany ; and the anatomical observations of 

 various naturalists have established it as a perfect and 

 adult animal, differing materially in its skull from the 

 salamanders, and presenting an intermediate structure 

 between them and the American sirens. It is a sin- 

 gular corroboration, also, of this opinion, that in the 

 district of Carniola, where it is mostly found, no sala- 

 mander is known from which it could possibly proceed ; 

 nor any with the true larva of which we are not per- 

 fectly acquainted.* As the feet are very small and 

 feeble, the Proteus, as may. be expected, walks badly ; 

 but its natatorial tail enables it to swim extremely well. 



* Uriff. Cuv. p. 47rw 



