418 
VERTEBRATA. 
common in tlie western waters of New York, and in those of Ohio. It is popularly called the 
Big Water Lizard. 
Genus SIREDON : Siredon.—To 
this belongs the Axolotl of Mexico, 
S. 2>isciforme^ ten to fifteen inches 
long, of a brownish or grayish color, 
spotted with black. On each side 
of the neck there is a large aper- 
ture, within which there are branchial 
arches : there are also projecting 
branched gills attached to the oper- 
cula or flaps, which close these ori- 
fices. It is common in the Lake of 
Mexico, and also in the lakes of the 
neighboring mountains. It is cook- 
ed like eels, and is regarded as a 
great luxury. It was so plentiful 
at the time of Cortez' invasion that 
he is said to have fed his army up- 
on it. 
THE AXOLOTL. 
ORDER 4 APODA. 
The term Apoda signifies without feet. The animals belonging to this order, in the form of the 
body, closely resemble large earth-worms ; they are totally destitute of limbs, and covered with 
a soft, viscous skin, which is annulated and wrinkled, and contains numerous minute horny scales, 
exactly resembling those of fishes. They form a single family, the Cceciliidce, that is, Blind- 
wo)-mSj so called in consequence of the minute size and occasional absence of the eyes. They 
live in the tropical regions of both hemisj^heres, where they burrow in marshy ground, like earth- 
worms, in pursuit of the larvse of insects, upon which they feed. The species generally measure 
from one to two feet in length ; but Cuvier states that he possessed the skeleton of a Coecilia 
which was more than six feet in length, and contained two hundred and twenty-five vertebrae. 
THE LEPIDOSIREN PARADOXA. 
ORDER 5. LEPIDOTA. 
The name of this order signifies small-footed ; the animals belonging to it have a fish-like 
form, covered with scales laid over each other, like those of fishes ; the legs are simple styliform 
organs. The organization is, however, rather that of the Batrachia than that of the fishes. 
Three species are known ; they are found in the fresh waters of the hot regions of South 
America and Africa. The South American species, Lepidosiren jjaradoxa^ is between two and 
three feet in length ; another species, the L, annectens, about a foot long, is found in the river 
Gambia. During the dry season these creatures bury themselves in the mud ; and one of them 
is said to make itself a sort of nest in which to pass the period of torpidity. In these burrows 
they await the return of the wet season, which recalls them to their aquatic life. The Gambian 
species is said to pass nine months of the year in its torpid state. 
