EMBRYOLOGY OF CRYPTOBRANCHUS ALLEGHENIENSIS. 153 



favorite haunt of Cryptobranchus. Adult hellbenders were seen 

 in other portions of the stream in deeper water, but in no other 

 situations were eggs found. 



The locality described above bears a strong resemblance to 

 the habitat of C.japonicus as illustrated by Ishikawa ('04). 



D. Habits of Ovipo sition. Two separate spawnings of eggs 

 were found in the natural habitat of the animal, besides eggs laid 

 on two different occasions by a specimen in captivity. On 

 account of differences in the method of disposal of the eggs, 

 these spawnings are best described separately. 



The eggs found on September 7 were lying in gently flowing 

 water about 2-4 inches deep, on a gravelly and stony bottom, 

 within a space about 6 feet in diameter nearly enclosed by some 

 large rocks which projected a foot or more out of the water. 

 The eggs were arranged in long festoon-like strings, scattered 

 over an area of about 2x5 feet. In a few places the eggs were 

 grouped in masses, but these masses might readily be resolved into 

 strings. All the eggs present were included in a very few strings ; 

 one string contained 27 eggs. Evidently the eggs had not been 

 disturbed since being laid. One hundred and ten eggs were 

 counted in full view ; but some other eggs had sunk down into 

 crevices between and beneath stones ; these brought the entire 

 number up to 135. The eggs lay for the most part in direct 

 sunshine, and the shallow running water furnished them with 

 abundant aeration. No adult hellbenders were seen in the im- 

 mediate vicinity. 



The eggs were conspicuous because of their size and number, 

 and were really beautiful objects, on account of the regularity of 

 their form, the festoon-like manner of their arrangement on the 

 pebbly bottom, the bright yellow of the yolk, and the perfect 

 transparency of their gelatinous envelopes except where bordered 

 with a delicate misty gray. 



On September 8 another spawning of eggs, perhaps 50 in 

 number, was found not far from the spot where eggs were dis- 

 covered on September 7. The eggs were in water 3-5 inches 

 deep, on the down-stream side of a rock, and most of them in a 

 shallow cavity about 16 inches wide and extending back about 

 8 inches under the rock. From the appearance of the surround- 



