i THE AMPHIBIA IN GENERAL 7 



tail to and fro, and give other undoubted signs of vitality." 

 The giant salamander of Japan, Megalobatrachus maximus, 

 is closely related to the preceding species. The largest 

 specimens known exceed five feet in length. 



The Salamandridse form a large family, which is fre- 

 quently divided into several different families by many 

 writers. Only a few of the more noteworthy forms, there- 

 fore, will be described. 



The group is divided by Gadow into four subfamilies as 

 follows : 



A. Series of palatal teeth transverse or posteriorly converging. 

 B. Parasphenoid without teeth. Vertebrae am- 



phiccelous. Toes 4-5 .... Amblystomatina* 



BB. Parasphenoid with teeth. 

 C. Vertebras opisthocoelous. Toes 5. Tongue 



largely free ...... Desmognathina, 



CC. Vertebrae amphicrelous. Tongue small 



and largely free ..... Plethodontina. 



AA. Series of palatal teeth in two longitudinal 

 series diverging behind. Parasphenoid 

 toothless . Salamandrina. 



The subfamily Amblystomatinae is represented in this 

 country mainly by the two genera Amblystoma and Chon- 

 drotus. Amblystoma contains quite a large number of 

 species. They are mostly of considerable size and fre- 

 quently spotted in color. They are very retiring in their 

 habits, and are not often seen except in the spring, when 

 they go to the water to breed. Their eggs are usually 

 attached to twigs or stems of grass, and are found in 

 rounded or irregular masses. Each egg is surrounded 

 by a very thick coat of jelly. Amblystomas are among the 

 very first amphibians to lay their eggs. Eggs of a species 

 of Amblystoma (probably tigrinutn) have been taken near 



