A historical and anatomical description of a doubtful amphibious animal of Germany, called, by Laurenti,
Proteus anguinus
. By Charles Schreibers, M. D, of Vienna. Communicated by the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. K. B. P. R. S
This singular production has hitherto been found only in a small lake in Carniola, called Sitticher See, and has never yet been met with in other large lakes of the neighbourhood, although these be known to communicate with the former by subterraneous channels. The specimens which have as yet reached either the public or private collections are so few, that all the descriptions hitherto given by Laurenti, Scopoli, Herman, Schneider, and Gmelin, have been found equally defective and erroneous, especially as to the anatomical construction, which, indeed, those able naturalists have scarcely had opportunities of investigating. This defect probably gave rise to a difference of opinion concerning the class to which this animal is to be annumerated; some considering it as a species arrived at its degree of perfection, while others maintain that it is the larva of some kind of lizard hitherto unknown. The principal object of this paper is to offer so circumstantial a description of the different parts of this animal as to enable physiologists to determine the point hitherto undecided. The specimen from which this description was taken measured about thirteen inches in length, and one inch in diameter; the fore part of the head was flat and narrow, somewhat resembling the bill of a duck : the upper lip projected considerably beyond the lower one. No external traces of nostrils, ears or eyes could be discovered. Of the latter, however, some indications are thought to have been perceived on a living specimen. On each side of the occiput was an opening, like those of fishes; and over them certain branchial appendages, similar to those in tadpoles and other larvæ of amphibious animals; whence probably arose the difference of opinions concerning the nature of this animal. From the description here given, we are to infer, that the construction of these parts, when carefully examined, differs materially from those as well of fishes as of tadpoles or other larvæ.