CHAPTER XXVIII. 

 THE SALAMANDER, FROG, AND OTHER AMPHIBIANS. 



A SALAMANDEK is rather a puzzle to many persons, who 

 call the land species "lizards/' and the newts " fish- wit h- 

 legs." And so the latter are ; for in most respects, save their 

 legs, the newts are only a slight step higher than a fish. 



The red-backed salamander is not uncommon through- 

 out the Northern States in damp places under leaves ; and 

 southward the yellow spotted salamander is as common as 

 any. The student should have a specimen before him and 

 draw an outline of it. It will be seen that the body is fish- 

 like, with a long tail, the newt having a caudal fin. There 

 are two pairs of legs ending in toes, four toes on the fore 

 legs, and five toes behind ; the toes are smooth and round- 

 ed, without claws. The head is broad and flattened, the 

 mouth large, the teeth small. The skin is smooth and 

 slimy, and close inspection shows that there is a lateral 

 line, much as in fishes. When the salamander walks or 

 runs, it simply pushes itself along on its belly over the 

 ground by means of its weak feet, though frogs and toads 

 can walk, leap, and climb. 



We see, then, that the salamander or newt mainly differs 

 from fishes in having limbs. This, however, is a great 

 step upwards. Let us look at the structure of limbs in 

 general. 



The limbs each consist of a single long bone, succeeded 

 by two long bones, which support two transverse rows of 

 short wrist- or ankle-bones, and five series of long finger- or 

 toe-bones called phalanges. For example, in the fore limb 

 of most vertebrates, as in the arm of man, to the shoulder- 

 girdle is articulated the hnmerus; this is succeeded by the 

 ulna and radius; these by the wrist-bones or carpals and 



