[February, 



Deseriptim of severed upeciei of Vrodela, with remarks on the ge.ographicil disirihii- 

 Hon of the Caducibranchiale d-viniun of these animals and their classification. 



By Edward Hallowell, M. D. 



Class REPTILIA. 

 Koiirlh order, Batrachia, Brogn. 



Sub. clii-is, Ampbibiens lebthjuidos ou Nudipelliferes, Blainv. 

 tvlass Amphibia, Bonap. 

 Second uroer, Salaniaiidra% Boaap. 

 Second order, Dipnoa, Leuckart, Fiuinger. 

 First tribe, Dipnoa inutabilia. 

 Fifih family, Salamaiidroidea, Fitz. 



Order, Ranse. Stcond division, Rauida? caiidat;)^, Waolfr. 

 Second sub order, Batrachia gradier.lia, Merreai and Giay. 

 Batrachia. Third sub order, Uiodeles, Dura. 

 First family. Aire oderes ou salamandridci. 

 Sub familv. Ambyst()mina, Gray. 

 Genus, Ambystoma, Tschudi. 



Ajibystoma laterale, nob. 



This animal is smaller than any of the species of Ambystoma wiib which we. 

 are acquainted, with the exception of A. maciodactylum, being about the size o( 

 Salamandra nigra, Green. 



Color jtt black above, black below, with a tinge of brown egpecially upon the 

 throat; the sides of the body and tail are marked with numerous white spot? 

 about the size of a pin's head, and even larger, thickly agglomerated ; they are 

 also observed of greater dimensions upon the sides of the neck ; the chin and 

 throat [iresent numerous white spots, smaller than those upon the sides; thev 

 occur, also, sparsely upon the abdomen ; extremities spotted with white, both 

 above and below ; fingers and toes banded with the same ; a gular fold ; palatine 

 teeth in a transverse, undulatiug, interrupted series, as in Ambystoma fasciatum. 

 (See Dum. and Bib., pi. 101, fig. C.) passing behind the internal nares ; no longi- 

 tudinal rows of teeth ; tongue attached in front and behind, free at its lateral 

 edges ; tail compressed, longer than the body ; extremities slender, middle fingers 

 of nearly equal length; first and- fourth idem; first toe shorter than fifih: 

 second than third, fourth than fifth ; fingers and toes free, slender, depressed : 

 ten distinct costal folds. 



Dimensions. Length of head 4 lines, breadth 22 ; of body from gular fold to 

 vent, 1 inch 2 J lines, (Fr.) ; of tail 1 inch 5 lines ;' length of anterior extremities 

 6 lines, of ])Osterior 7. 



IlaJiitat. Marquette, southern border of Lake Superior, specimen in jNius. 

 of Acad, N. S., presented by Dr. John L. Le Conte, whn found it in that region, 

 witli a fine specimen of Ablabes punctatus, Dum. and Bib. >o mention is made 

 of any species of Urode es in the work on Lake Superior, by I'rofessor Agassiz, 

 with the exception of Piethodon erylhronotus. The reptiles enumerated in it 

 are Tropidonotus sirtalis and Tropidonotus erythrogaster, a species allied to 

 ri;;idus, an undetermined species of Crotalophorus, probably tergeminus; Rana . 

 nigricans, Rana halecina, Rana sylvatica, Hylodes maculatus. Bufo americanus, 

 I lethodon erylhronotus and Menobranchus marulatus.* I have since found 

 another specimen much older, and having a general brownish tint, (altered by 

 jilcohol,) but with the lateral spots quite distinct, among: the reptiles of the 

 (Jreen collection presented to the Academy by Dr. Franklin Bache, with no 

 indication of locality. 



(ieneral Remarks. The Ambystoma above described resembles none other of 

 our well known species, and will, therefore, be readily recognized. Amb. punctu- 



*T() these may be added Coluber occipito-maculatus Storer. (Col. venustus, 

 llallowell, I'roceed. Acad. N. S., vol. iii., p. 280, pi. ) 



