40 SALAMANDRA GLUTINOSA. 



The anterior extremities sustain four fingers; the posterior are twice the size 

 of the anterior, and terminate in five toes, sUghtly united at their roots. 



Colour. The ground colour of this animal is a beautiful bluish-black over the 

 whole superior surface; the back and tail is sparsely dotted with minute white 

 spots, more or less abundant; on the flanks and sides of the tail these spots are 

 much larger and frequently confluent: sometimes specimens occur where all these 

 spots are nearly wanting, and the animal then appears of a simple bluish-black 

 colour. 



Dimensions. Length of head, 6 lines; length of body, 2 inches 3 lines; length 

 of tail, 3 inches 10 lines: total length, 6 inches 10 lines. 



Habits. The Salamandra glutinosa lives most of its time concealed under 

 rocks, or under the bark of fallen and decaying trees, and is frequently so 

 numerous that many are found under the same tree. Fallen trees seem a 

 favourite residence of this species of animal, probably because the insects it preys 

 upon choose the same locality; it will, however, emerge from its place of con- 

 cealment after rains or in the dusk of evening in search of its prey. 



Geographical Distribution. This I consider as the most common of the 

 North American Salamanders, and most widely diflused, abounding from latitude 

 43° to the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Pickering has seen it in Ipswich, Massachusetts, 

 and Dr. Storer in the neighbourhood of Boston; Professor Green in Pittsburg, 

 Pennsylvania; Say in Florida; and I have seen it in Virginia and in the Carolinas, 

 and have received it from Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana. 



General Remarks. To Professor Green belongs the merit of having first 

 observed and accurately described this animal, under the name Salamandra 

 glutinosa; and nearly at the same time, and in the same work, Gilliams gave it a 

 new description and a new name, Salamandra variolata; long afterwards Dr. 



