THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 295 



like those of mole hills, extended from the nest in every direction under 

 the leaves, as if the animals had been in search of food. Nosmallones have 

 been found out of the water, except the very small ones which we send 

 you, and these have come from the broken eggs. 



On the Amblystonia luridum, a Salamander inhabiling Wisconsin. 



BY p. R. HOY, i\I. D., OF RACINE, WISCONSIN. 



Characteristics: Back bluish-black, with light amber spots; tail com- 

 pressed, larger than the body ; length 11 inches. 



Description: Bod}' robust, smooth, and shin}''; head large; snout 

 rounded ; eye moderately prominent ; neck short, with a distinct cer- 

 vical fold ; nostril small, sub-lateral; mouth opening beyond the eyes ; 

 tail sub-quadrangular at its origin, then becomes compressed laterally, 

 moderately arched, and terminated in an obtuse point, rounded on the 

 upper and under edges, with a notch above just below the vent. A 

 vertebral furrow at the termination of the body and origin of the tail. 

 Legs stout, anterior four toed, the posterior five toed, and two fifths 

 larger. 



Color: Above, back, tail, head, and extremities bluish-black, with 

 reddish reflection, and spotted with pale amber; mouth and circle 

 round the e3'e reddish lemon ; flanks with a row of large oblong orange 

 spots slightly varied with lemon yellow. Below, abdomen slate-blue, 

 spotted irregularly with pale lemon and orange ; tail, inside of legs and 

 feet, thickly punctate with black, toes all tipped with the same ; throat 

 and chin orange, irregularly sprinkled with crimson points. 



Length 11.00 



Head and body to centre of vent 5.25 



Tail 5.75 



Head, length to gular fold 1-20 



" breadth between the eyes 0.72 



" just back of the eyes 1-00 



" breadth between the nostrils 0.40 



Tail, breadth at vent 0.80 



" " one inch below 0.95 



" " at the vent 0.35 



Hind -leg, including longest toe 1.75 



Fore-leg, " " " 1-30 



Longest toe of hind-foot 0.43 



Longest toe of fore-foot 0.26 



Their motion on land is slow, but they swim with activity. They resent 

 any insult offered to their mouth or eyes by quick and repeated strokes 

 with their ample tails. I have met with but two individuals of this fine 

 reptile, which were found about my cellar after a wet night. — (The 

 first October 20, ]849, and the last November 1, 1850.) They are 

 nocturnal, and, probably, only quit the water in the fall in order to seek 

 some congenial winter quarters. 



