44 



The habitat of this salamander iocludes the territory extending from 

 IMaine to Indiana, Georgia, Mississippi, and southwe:;tern Arkansas. 



In Indiana it has been taken, up to this time, only at Brookville (Hay- 

 moud, Butler, Hughes), and in Monroe County (C, H. Bollman); Rich- 

 mond (F. C. Test); Decatur County (W. P. Shannon). 



Where found at all, this species appears to be one of the commonest. 

 Jt is to a very great extent aquatic. Prof Cope says that " it lives chiefly 

 among the stones in the many shallow rivulets and springs of the hilly 

 and mountainous regions of the country. It prefers the rapid and shallow 

 streamlets. Here it may be found under every stone, or its delicate 

 larvse may be observed darting rapidly from place to place, seeking con- 

 cealment among mud and leaves." My experience with them is that, 

 while in confinement, they do not, at least during the summer months, 

 remain wholly in the water, but prefer to lie hidden in their tunnels in 

 moss, with the head sticking out, so as to observe what is going on. When 

 they are lying thus, if an insect is presented to tliem on the forceps they 

 spring swiftly forward and seize and swallow it. I have had them to 

 take flies and small spiders. One attempted to swallow a nearly whole 

 red-legged grasshopper. They are extremely active and vigorous, and as 

 slippery as eels, and it is with the greatest difiiculty that they can be re- 

 tained in the hands. When one is put on the floor, it escapes rapidly by 

 a sort of combination of leaping and running. When held on the hand 

 they will leap from it in the endeavor to escape. The tail is to some ex- 

 tent prehensile, and may be employed to keep the animal from falling. 



Prof. Baird originally observed that this salamander lays its eggs in a 

 string, and this is wrapped several times around the body of one of the 

 pair, which then retires to a spot of concealment while the eggs develop. 

 This curious habit, about which more needs to be known, has been con- 

 firmed by Prof. Cope. How long the care for the eggs continues is not 

 known. The larvte retain the gills for a varying period, but usually until 

 the animal is half-grown. 



Family VI. SALAMANDRID^. 



Body salamandriue in form. No persistent gills or gill-slits. Vertebrae 

 opisthocoelous. Vomers each with a long palatine process reaching back- 

 ward over the parasphenoid, bearing along its inner edge a single series of 

 teeth. No parasphenoidal teeth. Carpus and tarsus ossified. Our single 

 species red or olive above, with a series of red spots on each side of the 

 back. 



As here defined, including Professor Cope's families Salamandridce and 

 Pletcrodelidce. It embraces from six to nine genera, of which we have 

 only the following : 



