1856.] 235 



much smaller, and behind these two large subtriangular ones, resembling verj 

 much the anterior frontals in many species of serpents ; these are separated 

 from the rostral by two narrow plates on each side; posterior to these is a trans- 

 verse row of five plates, the two external subequal, the middle one long and 

 hexagonal. 



Coloration. The black vertical band in front of the shoulder exists, but is not 

 seen upon the upper part of the neck; the general color is olive, without spots 

 or markings distinctly visible ; anterior extremities banded in front; no brown 

 marks in front of the anus or upon thighs, these portions of the animal as well 

 as under part of tail being white without any spots whatever. The specimen is 

 largely distended with eggs, one of which measures eight lines in length by five 

 and a half in breadth. A younger specimen from the same locality is more or 

 less spotted with black upon the back, the spots assuming somewhat the form 

 of narrow irregular interrupted bands, upon a ground color of olive ; extremities 

 and tail black spotted, inner part of thighs and tail white ; black band of neck 

 interrupted in the middle. The plates upon the head in this younger specimen 

 are arranged in the following manner : Four in a transverse row immediately 

 behiad the rostral; then two large quadrangular plates ; then a transverse row 

 of five, posterior to which is another row of larger plates, the two exterior 

 forming part of the supra-orbitar ridge. 



URODELA, Dumeril. 



Heredia oregonensis, Girard. 



We received a few days ago, with a collection of Crustaceans and Fishes from 

 California, a specimen of a Caducibranchiate Urodele, which appeared to me 

 to me new, and for which it occurred to me the name Heteroglossa might be 

 proper to distinguish it from the ordinary Bolitoglossidse ; but in looking into 

 tbe last number of the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, I find a 

 description of a specimen from Oregon, by Mr. C. Girard, which corresponds in 

 so many particulars with it, the chief point of difference being the length of the 

 tail, which is represented as being longer than the head and body, that I hesitate 

 to consider it as new. 



Gen. char. Maxillary teeth small ; two longitudinal patches of sphenoidal 

 teeth, diverging posteriorly, arranged in oblique rows ; a curvilinear series of 

 Tomero-pahitine teeth on each side, almost in contact posteriorly, pHSsing be- 

 tween the posterior nares and the anterior margin of the orbit, separated from 

 the sphenoidal by an interspace without tee-th ; tongue supported by a cylin- 

 drical pedicel, attached in front ; free posteriorly and at the sides ; no parotids ; 

 toes 4 5. 



Sp. char. Size moderate; tail cylindrical; color olive, or brownish yellow, 

 minutely spotted with black above and upon the flanks ; under parts Indian 

 yellow. 



Description. Head broader than body, truncate anteriorly, nostrils small and 

 wide apart, about half a line from the margin of the upper jaw ; eyes prominent, 

 pupil elliptical ; gape of the mouth linear throughout the greatest part of its 

 extent ; no parotids ; no lateral lines of pores along the body ; a transverse fold 

 across the neck; maxillary teeth quite small, internal nares of moderate size, 

 ovoid, a series of vomero-palatine teeth on each side meeting posteriorly, pre- 

 senting the form of an arch, the convexity forward, passing immediately behind 

 the internal nasal opening, between it and the anterior border of the orbit, ex- 

 tending about three-fourths of a line beyond the external margin of the nasal 

 foramen. Two patches of longitudinal sphenoidal teeth, meeting in front, but 

 diverging posteriorly, leaving an interspace in the shape of the letter V reversed ; 

 the teeth in these patches are arranged in oblique rows, converging on each 

 side toward the longitudinal interspace between them, and are not closely set; 

 the tongue is obcordate, entire, longer than broad, supported upon a central 

 cylindrical pedicel as in the mushroom-tongued Urodeles, hut is attached in front 

 at the tip, and by a semi-transparent membrane along its middle as far as the 



