iSOU BATRACHIA. 



Geotriton fuscus. 



Geotriton fuscus, Dum. et Bib. vol. ix. p. 112; Buon. Faun. Ital. 



(figured). 

 Triton fuscus, Sciiinz, Europ. Faun. vol. ii. p. 62. 



Description. — Tail rather shorter than the body, thick, 

 and rounded at the base, ending in a sharp point ; toes of 

 the fore-feet short, depressed, with small webs between 

 them, those of the hind-feet webbed to half their length ; 

 the legs are all of the same length, and the space between 

 the fore- and hind-legs equals one-third of the length of 

 the body. Colour of the upper parts brown, marked with 

 obscure reddish spots ; beneath ashy, with white specks ; 

 the legs are paler than the body ; head convex above, very 

 flat beneath, somewhat wider than the body ; the space 

 between the tip of the snout and the anterior margin of the 

 eye equal to one and one -half the diameter of the eye ; the 

 body is nearly cylindrical, rather flat on the belly, narrow- 

 ing towards the neck, and conical near the tail. 



Entire length, 3|- inches. 



This animal, of whose habits but little appears to be 

 known, is said to take to the water but rarely, probably 

 only in the breeding season. It has been found in Italy 

 in caves, and under stones, in the mountains of the Genoese 

 territory, near Serravezza, and, according to Prince Buona- 

 parte, in several parts of the Apennines, especially near 

 Ascoli and Sambuca, as weU as in the Island of Sardinia. 



Genus TRITON. 



Tongue fleshy, warty, rounded or oval, free at the edges 

 only, or at the edges and on the posterior margin ; palatine 

 teeth in two longitudinal and almost parallel rows ; nume- 

 rous small teeth in the jaws ; without very prominent 

 parotids ; head smaller than the middle of the belly ; tail 

 compressed, furnished Avith vertical membranes like fins 



