316 VERTEBRATES: BATRACHIANS. 



The Hellbender, M. alleghaniensis, Latr., of the Alle- 

 ghany River and westward, is fifteen inches long, pale 

 cinereous, with dusky blotches. It lives entirely in water, 

 and is very voracious, feeding on fish, shell-fish, and other 

 small animals. 



SIRENID^:, OR SIREN FAMILY. This Family comprises 

 batrachians which have permanent external branchiae that 

 occur in tufts, covering the branchial orifices. They also 

 have lungs like others of their class, and are thus true 

 amphibians. It will be observed that, even in their adult 

 state, these animals represent the embryonic forms of the 

 higher batrachians. 



The Genus Siren has an eel-shaped body, with anterior 

 legs, three spiracles, and three tufts ; no posterior legs. 



The Siren, or Mud-Eel, 6". lacertina, Linn., of South 

 Carolina, attains the length of twenty-four inches ; color 

 above nearly black, with numerous light spots ; abdomen 

 purplish. It lives in mud, and is common in the ditches 

 of rice-fields. Two more species are found in the South. 

 The Genus Menobranchus has the head and mouth 

 large, two spiracles on each side of the neck, and these 

 covered with three branchial tufts ; tail compressed ; feet 

 four, and four-toed. 



The Menobranchus, or Mud-Puppy, M. maculatns, 

 Barnes, of Lakes Erie and Champlain, is twelve inches 

 Fig. 171 . long, dusky cinere- 



ous-gray, with dark- 

 er spots ; under parts 

 nearly white. It gen- 

 erally remains at the 

 bottom of the waters 

 it inhabits, where 



Menobranchus, ^^nr&, Say. ^ ^.^ ^ ^^ 



slowly, with a serpentine motion. It is often taken with 

 the hook, and fishermen regard it as poisonous. M. late- 



