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us that, after many years growth, they change again 
into fifhes, tho’ the manner of their change is un- 
known. 
The natural fubjedt before us, two views of which 
I have given in a print annexed, fee Tab. XV. 
Letters F G. They are drawn and engraved imme- 
diately from nature, of the fize of life, which, on 
comparifon, I find to be more than double the fize of 
what Merian has figured in her book, plate 71. 
which inclines me to think this before us to be fpe- 
cifically different from Merians : her figure expreffes 
the fin, which paffes round the tail, fcalloped, where- 
as in this before us the edge of the fin is perfectly 
even, without any indentures : the hinder feet in her 
figures have only four toes each, whereas this before 
us hath five, webbed together, befides a fmall rudi- 
ment of a toe, as may be feen in the natural fubjed, 
as well as in my print. The fore feet, both in Meri- 
an’s and my figures, exprefs four toes, unwebbed, tho’ 
I find the four toes to ftand, three of them in the form 
of fingers, and one oppofite to them, which ferves as 
a thumb, which is not expreffed in Merian’s figure. 
The general fhape of it is expreffed by the figures F. 
G, in my print. The fkin is foft, without any thing 
of fcalinefs, and the fin round the tail is like thin wet 
ieather, without any fibres to fupport it, as is com- 
mon to mofl fifhes. The toes in all the feet end in 
points, but are without nails or claws. On piercing 
the tail, or hinder part, with a needle, I found no 
bony refiftance ; but on piercing the thighs and 
head the bones firongly refilled. Its colour in the 
ipirits appeared dark brown, with dufky fpots, the 
under fide lighter, and without fpots* 
There 
