344 



M. ETHEL COCHRAN. 



Eggs of dusky salamander (two 

 clusters at the right), and red 

 back (one cluster at the left.) 

 (Natural size.) (Photographed 

 by the author.) 



and logs, not however, in the water; and the larvae lose their 

 branchiae at a very early age." 



Montgomery describes one finding of eggs: There were five 

 eggs under a stone in July with an adult female curled about on 

 guard. The eggs were large, enclosed in gelatinous envelopes, 



and curled about a large, nearly 

 spherical yolk mass. 



Miss Sampson says, "PJethodon 

 lays its eggs on land." 



Ritter and Miller describe the 

 eggs of Aurodax lugubris Hallow, a 

 Californian salamander closely re- 

 lated to Plethodon. They are at- 

 tached singly to the under surface 

 of stones. In one instance a fe- 

 male with fifteen eggs was found 

 under a platform in front of a 

 barn, in dry earth next the foun- 

 dation wall. The eggs are laid in 

 July, are about 6 mm. in diamaeter and hatch in fifty days. 



During the summer of 1910, eggs of the red-backed salamander 

 were found first on July 5. From then until the latter part of 

 August, eggs were found. They are in the ordinary habitats 

 beneath stones and logs. The stones are always those deeply 

 set into the ground in close contact with it, probably because 

 there the atmosphere is moist. 



The eggs, from five to nine in number, are in grape-like clusters 

 attached to the under surface of stones or logs, unlike those of 

 Spelerpes and Autodax lugubris Hallow, which are attached singly. 

 One pedicel supports a cluster. This pedicel is tough, white, and 

 seems made of separate threads closely stuck together; it re- 

 sembles the tough, outer membrane covering each egg. There 

 is no unifrom arrangement of eggs in the cluster. 



The egg of the red-back is spherical, 5 mm. in diameter, has 

 a prominent yolk and considerable transparent jelly. On the 

 outside is a thin, tough envelope to which particles of earth 

 and leaves readily adhere. 



The embrvo is coiled about the volk. None were seen in 



