SEXUAL ELEMENTS OF THE GIANT SALAMANDER. 



221 



Each egg is a spherical yellow body, about 6 mm. in diameter, 

 resembling somewhat the yolk of a miniature hen's egg. It is 

 surrounded by a clear gelatinous envelope, which is arranged in 

 two distinct layers (Fig. i). 



When removed from the gelatinous envelopes, as may easily 

 be done by cutting through the latter with a pair of fine scissors, 

 the egg is seen to be enclosed in a very thin and delicate vitel- 

 line membrane which is easily torn in handling. 



The yolk, which is apparently evenly distributed throughout 

 the egg, is made up of a compact mass of granules of various 

 sizes (Fig. 2). 



O 



'f\J 



c o o O 



o r -^-' / O^o 



>a r^oQ 



^^ti^s' 



FIG. 2. 



Fie. i. 



The egg is surrounded by a small amount of watery ma- 

 terial (Fig. /i, 7C') which is, in turn, enclosed in a capsule of 

 more dense jelly, the inner envelope (Fig. i, /. e.}. The inner 

 envelope is continued as a solid, more or less tough cord of 

 jelly (i r . e'.) from egg to egg, and binds them together in the 

 continuous strings that have already been mentioned. The dis- 

 tance between two adjacent eggs of the string is usually about 

 four or five times the diameter of the egg, but the elasticity of 

 the jelly will, of course, permit the eggs to be drawn much 

 further apart. 



