EEL-SHAPED SIREN. 



603 



specks. Its size nearly equals that of an Eel, 

 being frequently found of the length of more than 

 two feet. It is a native of North America, and 

 more particularly of South Carolina, where it is not 

 very uncommon in muddy and swampy places, 

 living generally under water, but sometimes ap- 

 pearing on land. It has a kind of squeaking or 

 singing voice, for which reason Linnaeus distin- 

 guished it by the title of Siren. 



This curious animal was first discovered and 

 described by the ingenious Dr. Garden, who re- 

 sided many years in Carolina, and who paid par- 

 ticular attention to the science of Natural His- 

 tory, which he enriched by many highly interest- 

 ing observations. Dr. Garden communicated 

 specimens of the Siren to Linn^us, with particu- 

 lars relative to its history and manners. Lin- 

 naeus, in his letter to Dr. Garden on this subject, 

 declares, that nothing had ever exercised his 

 thoughts so much, nor was there any thing he so 

 much desired to know as the real nature of so ex- 

 traordinar}^ an animal. 



The following particulars relative to the ana- 

 tomy of the Syren are given by Mr. Hunter in the 

 56th volume of the Philosophical Transactions 



'^Th^ tongue is broad and has very little mo- 

 tion : it has a bone similar to that in birds, turtles, 

 &c. On the posterior and lateral parts of the 

 mouth, are three openings on each side ; these are 

 similar to the slits of the gills in fish, but the par- 

 titions do not resemble gills on their outer edges, 

 for they have not the comb-like structure. Above 



