ANGUINE SIREN. , 60Q 



raneous outlets or holes at the bottom ; leaving 

 the ground dry, and fit for pasture, the cultiv^a- 

 tion of millet, &c. &c. as well as for various kinds of 

 hunting and other amusements : but in the month 

 of October it again returns, with great force ; 

 springing out of the passages before mentioned 

 from a vast depth till the Lake is completely filled. 

 It is situated in a hollow or valley, surrounded by 

 rocky and woody mountains, in which are vast 

 caverns, and is principally supplied by eight rivu- 

 lets running into it from the adjoining moun- 

 tainous region. Of this Lake, with a probable 

 theory of its phasnomena, an ample description 

 may be found in the sixteenth volume of the Phi- 

 losophical Transactions. 



The species of Siren at present to be described is 

 extremely rare, and is found, in the spring, and 

 towards the decline of summer, in some particu- 

 lar parts of the above-mentioned lake, and com- 

 monly measures, when full grown, from about ten 

 to twelve or thirteen inches in length ; the largest 

 specimens being near three quarters of an inch 

 in diameter. It is entirely of a pale rose or flesh- 

 colour, or even nearly white, except the three pair 

 of ramified branchial fins on each side the neck, 

 which are of a bright red or carmine-colour. Its 

 general shape is that of an eel ; the body being 

 cylindric, till towards the end of the tail, where it 

 becomes flat, and is attenuated both above and 

 below into a kind of fatty fin, scarce distinguish- 

 able from the rest of the tail : the skin is every 



