124 Hay — Batrachians and Reptiles of D. C 



jj. Tongue large, attached by nearly the whole posterior surface 

 and almost filling the mouth; large clumsy species, brown 

 or black, variously marbled or spotted with whitish or yel- 

 low. 

 k. Costal groves 11. ... Ambystoma opacum, 2. 



kk. Costal grooves 12. 



I. Sole with 2 distinct tubercles. Ambystoma tigrinum, 2a. 



II. Sole with 1 indistinct tubercle or none. 



Ambystoma jeffersonianum,, 2b. 



I. Siren lacertina Linnaeus. Siren; Mud Eel. 



Body elongate, eel-like; head fiat, tapering to the blunt snout; three 

 pairs of external gills; eyes very small; anterior limbs short, with 4 toes; 

 hind limbs absent. Bluish black, paler below. Length 2 to 3 feet. 



A single record from the Potomac Flats testifies to the presence of 

 this species within our limits. It seems to spend most of its time in the 

 soft mud of swamps, and is, therefore, seldom observed even where it is 

 common. 



a. Ambystoma opacum (Gravenhorst). Marbled Salamander. 



Body short, stout, and swollen; tail short; limbs weak. Dark brown 

 or black above, with about a dozen bluish gray cross bars; an irregular 

 splotch on head and nape of the same color. Length 3^ inches. 



Reported from Takoma Park, Laurel, Md., and Mt. Vernon, Va. At 

 the latter locality I took two specimens from under an old stump in a 

 very dry locality. 



aa. Ambystoma tigrinum (Green). Tiger Salamander. 



Body large, heavily built, with long tail, and stout legs. Bluish or 

 brownish black, more or less spotted or blotched with bright yellow. 

 Length, 5-10 inches. 



There are no definite records for this species within our limits but it 

 ■will doubtless be found to occur here. 



aJ. Ambystoma jeffersonianum fuscum (Green). Jefferson Sala- 

 mander. 



Body and head rather elongated; head broad and somewhat depressed; 

 tail rather long, compressed. Dark bluish or brownish, or black, paler 

 below; sides sometimes with small white spots. Length 5-8 inches. 



As with the preceding there is no record of the capture of this 

 species within our limits, but careful collecting will probably add it to 

 our fauna. 



3. Hemidactylium scutatum (Schlegel). Scaly Salamander. 



Body slender; head depressed, broadest just behind the eyes; snout 

 short, truncate; base of tail with a decided constriction, beyond which 

 the tail swells out and then tapers to a sharp point; legs weak; toes 



