Some account of the Siren lacertina, and other species of the same genus of amphibious animals. In a letter from Professor Barton, of Philadelphia, to Mr. John Gottlob Schneider, of Saxony / [Benjamin Smith Barton].

  • Benjamin Smith Barton
Date:
1808]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Some account of the Siren lacertina, and other species of the same genus of amphibious animals. In a letter from Professor Barton, of Philadelphia, to Mr. John Gottlob Schneider, of Saxony / [Benjamin Smith Barton]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    others. From their account, I judge it to be very simi¬ lar to that of the Proteus anguinus, of which Dr0 Schreibers, on the authority of Baron Zois, gives the following account. “ It often produces a hissing kind of noise, pretty loud, more so than one should expect from so small an animal, and resembling that produced by drawing the piston of a syringe.” On this subject, I cannot venture to speak very confidently, from my own observation. i You know, Sir, what errors have been published in regard to the voice of an amphibious animal, which is, indeed, very nearly allied to the Siren. Mr. Bomare asserts, that the cry of the Water-Newt very nearly re¬ sembles that of the frog. On the contrary, Spallanzani assures us, that this animal is “ quite mute.” “ It is only (says the illustrious naturalist of Pavia) when they (the newts) rise to the surface of the water, to expel the old air from the lungs and to inhale fresh, that the observer hears a sort of very low whistle, scarce perceptible at the distance of four paces*”. I the more willingly quote this passage from the great work of Spallanzani, because I am inclined to think, that his theory of the “ very low whistle” of the newt may be applied to explain the “hiss¬ ing noise” of the Proteus anguinus, and of the Siren. But if the name Siren be abolished, what generic name shall we substitute, in its place ? If the Protei of Europe shall, in the progress of more extensive inquiries, appear to be finished, or perfect animals,—as I have no doubt they will,—there will seem to be a peculiar prcpri- * Dissertations relative to the Natural History of Animals and Vegeta¬ ble. Vol. ii. p. 68, 69.—English translation. London : 1789.
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