No. 3.] MONTGOMERY — MENOBRANCHUS MACULATUS. 1G3 



with the third, and the pelvic arch with the nineteenth vertebra. 

 The fore-legs are always longer than the hind-legs, but the latter 

 have the advantage in thickness. The radius and ulna of the 

 fore-arm. likewise the tibia and fibula of the shank, remain as 

 separate bones ; the carpus and tarsus both consist of small car- 

 tilages that never ossify ; and all the feet are tetradaetyle. 

 Here may be observed striking differences from the condition 

 which obtains in the frog, where coalescence takes place both 

 between the bones of the forearm and between the bones of the 

 shank, so that there comes to be but a single bone in each ; the 

 carpus and tarsus are ossified, two of the tarsal bones are greatly 

 lengthened to assist in leaping, and each of the hind feet is five- 

 toed. 



Some measurements of a specimen in my possession, recently 

 captured in the Don. may be mentioned here. These measure- 

 ments m;iy fairly be regarded as those of an average Menohrayt- 

 clius : 



Another specimen lately taken from the same stream, and dis- 

 sected by me, was of less size, being twelve inches long, but 

 possessed similar proportions throughout. 



The o-eneric name Menohranchus is derived from two Greek 

 words signifying that the external branchiae are permanent, and 

 do not disappear during the life of the animal, as in the case of 

 the salamander, newt and frog. The specific name raaculatus 

 (Latin for spotted) refers to the deep purple spots with which 

 the skin is studded. 



