26 
ROOM IX. cells, on her back. The Salamanders ( Salamandra ), 
Nat. Hist. an d Efts ( Triton ), follow the Toads: amongst them 
are the European species, absurdly supposed formerly, 
to be insensible to the action of fire; also several Ame¬ 
rican species, as the Amphiuma, which is thought never 
to have any gills, though it probably loses them at a 
very early age. At the end of these are placed the 
curious animals which Dr. Shaw called Dubious Am¬ 
phibia, appearing to unite the amphibia with the fishes, 
and accordingly they have been placed in both classes 
by various authors. These animals retain their gills 
during the whole of their life, and are therefore capable 
of living equally well on land or in water; amongst 
these are the Axolotl of the Mexicans, which in all re¬ 
spects resembles the larva of the Common Eft; the Me- 
nobranchus from America, and the Proteus from the 
caverns of Carniola, an animal that never voluntarily 
approaches the light of day, and whose eyes are 
so small and hidden by the skin, as to make it 
appear to be absolutely destitute of those organs. A 
wax model, from a living healthy specimen of this 
animal, is placed near it, to shew the form of its lungs 
when not contracted by spirits. In this Case also is the 
Carolina Siren, first described by Ellis, which has only 
two short feet in front; and lastly the Caecilia, or Blind 
Worm, whose eyes, always very small, and nearly con¬ 
cealed under the skin, are sometimes wholly wanting. 
Case 4 contains specimens of Crustacea, as Crabs, 
Lobsters, and Woodlice in spirits. 
Case 5. Arachnida; as Tarantulae, Scorpions, Pha- 
langia, and Acari, or MitesMyriapoda, as Scolopen- 
drae and luli. Also several mandibulated insects, such as 
Beetles, Dragon Elies, Wasps, and Ants; shewing their 
metamorphoses, or the changes they undergo in pass¬ 
ing from the larva to the perfect state. Amongst them 
is the large American Prionus, and specimens of the 
White Ant (Termes fatalis, and bellicosus), in different 
states, of which an interesting account is given by Mr. 
Smeathmann, 
