49 



SALAMANDRA QUADRIMACULATA.— /Zo/iroo^. 



Plate XIII. 



Characters. Head rather large; snout rounded; body elongated, stout, dusky- 

 above, tinged with purple, and marked with two series of elongated, sub-quadrate 

 red spots; tail of similar colour, with a red mesial line. 



Description. The head is rather large, with the snout rounded. The tongue 

 is round, and sustained on a short pedicle. The palatine teeth are very minute, 

 and begin on each side at the inner and posterior margin of the posterior nares, 

 and run inwards to unite in the middle of the palate; half a line behind these 

 begin two longitudinal groups, placed side by side, and broader behind. 



The nostrils are latero-anterior. The eyes are large and prominent, with the 

 pupil black and the iris golden, tinged with red. The neck is contracted, and 

 has a transverse cutaneous fold at the throat. 



The body is elongated, but tolerably robust; the anterior extremities are small, 

 with four delicate fingers; the posterior extremities are nearly double the size, 

 and sustain five toes. The tail is longer than the body, compressed at the side, 

 tapering and ends in a point. 



Colour. The superior surface of the head is dusky, tinged with purple. The 

 back and tail are of similar colour, the former marked with two rows of small 

 elongated, sub-quadrate red spots, and the latter with a red mesial line. These 

 spots and lines are bright in young animals, but in adults they are much obscured. 



