1893.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 383 



ON A COLLECTION OF BATRACHIA AND REPTILIA FROM SOUTHWEST 



MISSOURI. 



BY E. D. COPE. 



The zoology of the Ozark Mountain country is less known than 

 that of some more remote regions of our country. The fishes have, 

 however, heen pretty fully investigated by the ichthyologists of the 

 United States Fish Commission, and the mammals are now claim- 

 ing the attention of the zoologists of the Bureau of Animal Industry 

 of the United States Agricultural Departments. In the present 

 paper I contribute something to the knowledge of the herpetology 

 of the region. 



BATRACHIA. 



Amblystoma punctatum L. 

 Spelerpes maculicaudus Cope, 

 Spelerpes melanoplenrus sp. nov. 



This species is near to the S. bilineatus Green, but differs in both 

 proportions and coloration, and is also smaller, being the least spe- 

 cies of the genus. I took five specimens among the stones on the 

 banks of Raley's Creek, one of the head tributaries of the AVhite 

 River. 



The width of the head enters the length to the groin 4 - 5 times 

 (nearly 6 times in S. bilineatus), and the length to the axilla enters 

 the same 2"3 to 2 - 5 times (2 - 7 times in S. bilineatus). The limbs 

 and all the toes are well-developed, and the anterior and posterior 

 meet when applied to the side of the body ; they are separated by 

 three full intercostal spaces in S. bilineatus. There are always 

 only 13 costal grooves (14 in S. bilineatus). Tail strongly com- 

 pressed. The sides of the head, body and tail are black, with gen- 

 erally sparse white spots ; the upper border of this band is darkest, 

 representing the dorsolateral line of S. bilineatus. A few black 

 spots along median dorsal line. End of muzzle and chin black. 

 Limbs closely reticulated with black. Belly white in life (yellow 

 in S. bilineatus). Measurements of largest specimen: length to 

 angle of lower jaw, 4*5 mm. ; do. to axilla, 10 mm. ; do. to groin, 23 

 mm. ; do. to end of tail, 57'5 mm. ; do. of fore-limb, 65 mm. ; do. of 

 hind limb, 8 mm. 



