246 Dr. Schreibers’s Description of 
motionless for a considerable time, without appearing shy or 
timid. 
It is of a light red colour, when alive ; and the branchial ap- 
pendages, on the sides of the head, are of a deep blood colour. 
In spirit, it soon loses all tinge of redness. Inactivity, and the 
above-described singular creeping motion, seem to be peculiar to 
this animal ; and, although it came several times in the course 
of a day to the surface of the water, and even rose above it, it 
passed the greatest part of its time at the bottom. In ascending 
in the water, it seemed only to make use of the tail ; ascending 
as slowly and smoothly as it creeps. Sometimes Baron Zois 
observed it to use a motion like that of fishes, throwing itself 
about in the water with considerable force and swiftness. 
The five specimens which I saw, three of which were at my 
disposal, were of very different sizes ; the largest was about 
thirteen inches long, and one inch in diameter; three others were 
between nine and ten inches long; and the smallest (appa- 
rently the youngest and most imperfect) was about eight inches 
long, and hardly the third part of an inch in diameter. 
Notwithstanding this considerable difference in size, which 
evidently shewed a difference in age, they agreed in the general 
construction of the external, as well as internal parts. The fol- 
lowing description was taken from the examination and dissec- 
tion of the largest specimen, and compared with those of two 
others of a smaller size. 
The head is one inch and three quarters long ; its forepart 
somewhat resembles the bill of a duck, being flat and narrow, 
rather broader behind than the body, somewhat compressed, 
and rendered uneven by some smooth protuberances, occasioned 
by strong muscles. The upper jaw is somewhat larger than the 
