402 



PROCEEDINGS OF TEE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



VOL. 53. 



The skin of the head is often rugose, resembling, as Stejneger says, 

 "grain leather." This character is present in monticola and to some 

 degree in carolinensis. Old and black specimens of quadramaculata 

 do not, as a rule, have it. In nine specimens from Giles County, 

 Virginia, five had the head perfectly smooth, in two it was very rough, 

 and two were intermediate. The tubercle canthus occuU is always 

 present. 



The X-shaped groove on top of the head, between and in front 

 of the eyes, is lacking in this species. It is present in all the other 



Fig. 12.— Range of Desmognathus quadramaculata. 



forms of the genus. This is useful in separating this form from dark 

 monticola. 



In this form the costal grooves are at a minimum. Some speci- 

 mens have only 12; others have 13 and 14. 



The color of this form is very characteristic. The dorsal surface 

 shows a lack of pattern not found in any other species. The larva 

 is almost uniform brownish above and uncolored below. The young 

 are at first Uke the larvae, but the dorsal color becomes gradually 

 darker until it is black in old specimens. The color of the head is, 

 in most specimens, much lighter than that of the body. The belly, 



