NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 115 



Pennsylvania, or the lower plains of New Jersey and Maryland. Nor have I 

 observed it in the Alleghenies of south-western Vii-ginia ; the most southern 

 locality yet known is the Broad Top Mountain in Southern Pennsylvania, from 

 which the Academy possesses numerous specimens from Dr. Leidy. In 

 northern Pennsylvania and the Adirondack it is very abundant. The Academy 

 has numerous specimens from Warren county, Penn., from Dr. Randall. 



The habits of this animal are terrestrial. It occurs under the bark of every 

 fallen log of hemlock (Abies canadensis), and in the debris of the dark damp 

 forests of the north. I never saw one in the water of streams and runs, the 

 habitat of the other species of the genus. 



Prof. Eaird was familiar with this species before I described it. I published 

 his suggestions expressed in a letter, that it was the S. haldemanii of Holbrook. 

 Holbrook's figure does not represent this species in any degree, nor is his 

 description more conclusive as to the reference of this species to it rather than- 

 some others. He says it is marked wi>th spots on the upper surfaces, which 

 are " disposed without much regularity," but the largest are on the flanks. 

 There are but few spots above in this animal, and they are in a regular series. 

 The sides are banded. 



No. 3917, 10 specimens, Alleghany Co., N. Y., Dr. Stevens, 

 No. 40-il, 3 specimens, Bradford Co., Pa., C. C. Martin. 

 20 specimens, Meadville, Pa., Prof. Williams. 

 No. 4539, 5 specimens, Susquehanna Co., Pa., Prof. Cope. 



Variety — A specimen with the dentition, coloration and proportions of body 

 and tail of this species was sent to the Smithsonian Inst., from Georgia, by Dr. 

 Jones. It approaches the D.fusca in having a small tuberculum canthus oculi 

 and a well developed inferior series of mucous pores. 



Desmognathus fusca, Rafinesque. 



Triturus, (March 1, 1820), Raf. Annals of Nature. Sal. intermizta, (Aug., 

 1825), Green, Hall's Portfolio, Vol. 20, p. 159. (Jan. 1827), Green, Cont. Mac. 

 Lye. No. 1, vol. 1. Sal. picta, (Nov. 1823), Harlan. J. A. N. S. v. 136. (1840), 

 Storer, Mass. Rept. 251. Sal. quadramatuLata, (1842), Hoi. Herp. 2d. ed. v. 49 

 pi. 13. 



This, perhaps the most abundant Salamander in North America, is quite 

 variable in coloration, but not in proportions and structural peculiarities. 

 Those of the latter which characterize it are the presence of fourteen costal 

 plicre ; one well, and one little developed lateral series of mucous pores ; the 

 equal and regular distribution of teeth in the mandible of males ; the com- 

 pressed tail, keeled above, and finned distally ; the presence of a tubercle in 

 the anterior canthus of the eye ; the marbled color of the belly. In many 

 quarts of specimens I find four specimens from southern localities — two in 

 Academy from Charleston, two in Smithsonian from Biloxi, Miss., which have 

 fifteen plicse, but one of the latter has fourteen on one side. In specimens 

 which have been preserved in too strong spirits the pores are rendered invisi- 

 ble ; the same occurs when the spirit is impure or weak. In soft specimens 

 the canthal tubercle sometimes disappears, and in many young specimens and 

 some adult females it does not appear to exist. 



The head is more depressed and the muzzle prolonged than in species 

 of the other genera. The eyes are prominent ; the plicae behind them strongly 

 marked. These consist of one on each side the head and nape, which con- 

 verge posteriorly and then turn abruptly outwards to be continued into the 

 gular plica. A second plica extends from the mandible across the rictus oris 

 to the upper plica. A second longitudinal plica extends from this to the gular 

 enclosing an ovate enlarged area; and a short one to the orbit encloses a post- 

 orbital subround and smaller area. 



The commissure of the mouth is more undulate in males than in females, 

 but both present a slight elongation of the symphysis produced externally by 



1869.] ' 



