MENOBRANCHUS MACULATUS. 113 



Dimensions. Length of head, I5 inches; breadth of head, II inclics; length of 

 body to vent, 7 inches; length of tail beyond, 3i inches: total length, 12 inches. 



Habits. Of the habits of this reptile but little is known; in general it remains 

 at the very bottom of the waters it inhabits, where it swims or creeps along the 

 ground with a slow serpentine motion; it is said rarely to leave the water and 

 crawl to the shore. The Menobranchus maculatus is seldom taken, except in the 

 months of April and May, which is their spawning season; at this time they are 

 found about waterfalls, where they conceal themselves in crevices of rocks, and 

 are now often caught with the hook baited for catfish (Silurus) or eels, though 

 little desired by the fishermen, by whom they are regarded as poisonous, and are, 

 consequently, seldom taken in hand. Their eggs are about the size of peas, and 

 as many as one hundred and fifty have been counted in a single female. The 

 Menobranchus maculatus feeds on various kinds of worms, insects, shell-fish, and 

 crustaceous animals. 



Though living almost entirely in water, it does not appear that it opens its 

 mouth, or that the water passes through it to the branchial arches, as in fishes, 

 during respiration; but that function seems to be performed "simply by the 

 vibratory motion of the gills in water." "When kept in a vessel containing a 

 large quantity of water, or in which the water is frequently changed, it manifests 

 but little disposition to rise to the surface for atmospheric air; but when the 

 quantity of water is small, or not often changed, it soon finds the air in the water 

 insufficient for its purposes, when it ascends to the surface, takes a mouthful of 

 air, and sinks again with it to the bottom." 



Geographical Distribution. This reptile has as yet been found only in Lake 

 Champlain and Lake Erie, and their tributary streams. They are said to be 

 common at the Falls of Onion river, near Burlington, Vermont. 



General Remarks. There can be no doubt that this animal was first described 



